Living Wetlands Award Winner 2006

The winner of the 2006 RSPB/CIWEM Living Wetlands Award is The Little Ouse Headwaters Project submitted by the Little Ouse Headwaters Charity.

The rivers Little Ouse and Waveney have their origins in a shallow valley which marks the historic boundary between the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, the Waveney flowing east and the Little Ouse flowing west to join the Great Ouse. 

In 2002, residents from the Parishes of Redgrave, South Lopham, Blo’ Norton, Hinderclay and Thelnetham established the Little Ouse Headwaters Project (LOHP) as a Charitable Trust which aims to enhance the value of the river valley within these parishes. Since its establishment, the project has taken on responsibility for the management of six sites within the valley totalling over 36 ha of land with adjacent sites being managed for conservation by Suffolk Wildlife Trust. 
Their long-term aims are:

• To recreate and maintain a continuous corridor of wildlife habitat along the headwaters of the Little Ouse by:
   - improving the wildlife diversity
   - where appropriate, restoring natural river features
   - improving water quality
• To facilitate rural regeneration and land-use diversification
• To improve recreation, amenity and education value for the community
• To improve landscape quality and safeguard against flooding

Activities such as removal of agricultural waste, changes in land use, pollarding, scrub clearance and grazing regimes have been conducted and are already proving of benefit to UK and local BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) priority habitats and the huge range of species that they support, including BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan) priority species. 

The sites support populations of native mammals including harvest mouse, water shrew, stoat, and roe deer. Otters use the river and it is hoped water voles, that have been lost to mink predation, will recolonise from near-by populations as the current mink eradication programme becomes effective.
Birds using these sites include breeding populations of several species of High Conservation Concern (red listed) such as turtle dove, songthrush, spotted flycatcher, marsh tit, bullfinch, yellow hammer and reed bunting.