Within the Lower Waveney Valley and the Broads National Park, 381 acres of land is set to become a Worlingham Marshes nature reserve under our custodianship, with the support of a £1,999,832 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to create a landscape-scale nature corridor on the Suffolk-Norfolk border.

Wildlife desperately needs habitats that are more expansive, ecologically-rich, and better connected with other natural areas and wild landscapes. The space that will become Worlingham Marshes nature reserve holds a key position within a corridor of wildlife-rich land in the Lower Waveney Valley, stretching from Beccles in the west to Oulton Marshes in the east, including Carlton Marshes – one of our existing nature reserves.

Under our care, Worlingham Marshes will be restored into a haven for wildlife - where the many rare and declining species that were once abundant here can thrive once again. Species such as lapwing and redshank will find a haven amongst the wetland scrapes and foot drains, woodcock will return to the wet woodland, and otters and water voles will use the restored network of waterways as corridors and breeding habitat.

Liz Shaw, Head of Engagement, England, Midlands & East at The National Lottery Heritage Fund says:

“We are delighted to support Suffolk Wildlife Trust with this ambitious project. Worlingham Marshes forms a vital habitat connection along the river valley, and through this project we hope to support the renewal of the area for wildlife, residents, and visitors. The development of large-scale nature corridors is so important in combatting our declining natural heritage, and it’s thanks to National Lottery players that we are able to fund Worlingham Marshes.”

Matt Gooch, our North-East Sites Manager, who will be overseeing conservation works on the new reserve, says:

“Worlingham Marshes is a unique opportunity to develop a landscape-scale example of reversing wildlife decline and supporting nature to adapt to climate change. Less than 3% of land in Suffolk is reserved for nature, therefore we are very excited about the opportunity to protect more of the beautiful Waveney Valley, allowing more space for nature to thrive. We are hugely grateful to The National Lottery Heritage Fund and National Lottery players for supporting our vision.”
 

Our vision for Worlingham Marshes is to restore a classic Broadland landscape, with a wildlife-rich mosaic of grazing marsh, wet woodland, fen, scrub. Water levels will be managed to restore wet fen on the peat soils, that will lock-up carbon and reduce the impact of flooding - harnessing the power of nature to combat climate change.

We have a vision for a wilder Suffolk – where nature is thriving and abundant, because everyone is doing more to help. To help achieve a wilder Suffolk, the Trust is championing two collective targets in Suffolk that every sector of society needs to help achieve:

• To protect and restore 30% of Suffolk’s land and sea for nature recovery
• To inspire and support 1 in 4 people in Suffolk to take action for nature and climate

By securing Worlingham Marshes for nature, we take another step towards our goal of protecting and restoring 30% of Suffolk’s land for nature recovery.

Please help us to buy and restore Worlingham Marshes

Donate to our Worlingham Marshes appeal