It’s been a busy few months across the Trust, we have seen the impacts of climate change affecting Suffolk more than ever before, with prolonged drought impacting local wildlife and water supplies, and of course the heartbreaking wildfire at Dunwich Heath.

Our teams across the county have been busy ensuring that are reserves are in the best condition to cope with the extreme weather, and provide wildlife with the habitat, water, and food sources they need to survive and thrive.

There have been moments of gratitude and appreciation too, it was special to experience the partial solar eclipse over Suffolk. It’s also been lovely to see volunteers and communities get involved in harvest and sedge clearance across the reserves too. 

Return to the Suffolk Show

To kick off the summer, we spent 2 fantastic days at the Suffolk Show in the Nature Area. Our team loved being back hosting activities in the tranquil wooded area of Trinity Park. This year, activities were themed around Hedgehogs and campaigning for nature. 

A particular highlight was our placard making workshop, where families and people of all ages took part in making their own placards and taking them on a hedgehog march around the site. We had over 640 placards made across the 2 days!

BBC Radio 3 Live from Carlton Marshes 

It was a joy to host BBC Radio 3’s Breakfast show live from Carlton Marshes nature reserve. Local musicians Laura Cannell and The Rogue Shanty Buoys performed live with the beautiful backdrop of the marshes and sound of the dawn chorus in the background. 

We are excited to host a range of fantastic local musicians at Carlton Marshes this autumn again! Join us on Friday 9 October to enjoy the reserve after dark with this special Festival of Nature event. Plus, enjoy projection art inspired by the world of water with a fantastic light projection and sound installation by local artist, Henry Driver. Book tickets now Open evening | Suffolk Wildlife Trust

Midsummer meet up 

Our Farm Advice team hosted a fantastic Midsummer Meet Up at Little Haugh Farm, celebrating the diversity and resilience of the county's farming community. 

We had a selection of thought-provoking speakers share their insights on how they have diversified their farming practices to put nature back at the heart and ensure healthy landscapes can be sustained for the future. These approaches help farmers de-risk their businesses. Conversations arose about how we can all work to create sustainable food production across the county too. The event was kindly sponsored by Barker Gotelee Solicitors.

National Marine Week

National Marine Week was a chance for us to highlight the expansion of the Trusts conservation work to protect Suffolk’s blue spaces, including sea and rivers.  Andrew Excell, our Marine and Estuary Programme Manager, has been working on building this programme and Marine Week was a chance to launch this!

Andrew and Gemma, our Campaigning and Activism Manager, helped to raise awareness about the Marine Protected Area off the coast of Orford Ness. Staff at the Trust also took part in a beach clean at Felixstowe and helped to galvanise more people to regularly litter pick to help keep coastal habitats clean from pollution and protect wildlife.

Sedge clearing at Redgrave and Lopham Fen

Looking across the reeds, you might see a scene of people harvesting the sedge by-hand, reminiscent a painting by John Constable!

Across our nature reserves, including Redgrave and Lopham Fen, work parties of volunteers helped to cut and clear sedge to help maintain the quality of sedge on the reserve. If it is left too long, the sedge can weaken and overcrowd species that live within it, such as the fen raft spider.           

Wild Work Days across our reserves

Thank you to the organisations who have given time this summer to help with conservation work across our reserves. Colleagues from AXA helped to to cut and rake the species rich wet grassland at Newbourne Springs. We do this to halt natural succession and prevent trees, reeds, and brambles from encroaching on more sensitive plants such as ragged robin, meadowsweet, water mint, and southern marsh orchid.

If your interested in taking part in a Wilder Work Day, find out more and enquire here Team Building & Wild Work Days | Suffolk Wildlife Trust