Norfolk Broads - New Wetland Harvests : project to develop new, environmentally sustainable technology for wetland management. (LIFE97 ENV/UK/000511) (01-APR-1997 - 01-APR-2000)

Wetlands provide many important services to human society, and are at the same time, ecologically sensitive systems. Commitments to maintain wet reedbeds and fens are many and include both small and large scale projects to restore and create new wetlands, for example to act as pollution filters. The long-term success of these plans will depend on there being new commercial harvesting systems which take full account of environmental needs. Human clearance is time consuming and costly and in some areas impossible because of the inaccessible nature of the terrain.

The project has helped to establish and test new technology which enables the harvest and use of natural materials from wet reedbeds and fens. The work undertaken in this project has resulted in the creation of an innovative new machine, the Fen Harvester, to keep the fens clear of scrub. Unlike conventional machines, the New Wetland Harvester can negotiate marshy terrain and generate sufficient leverage to cut the toughest of scrub. The harvested material, known as marsh hay is then chopped up into tiny pieces and emptied into a second machine, the Fen Blower, which blows the marsh hay down a flexible pipeline to a lorry. Information via the Life web site http://europa.eu.int/ LIFE Projects web site.

Additional information: Commercial information of the use of reeds are available through the Broads web site and include:

• Reed - buying and selling reed - A description of reed qualities (free);
• Reed - Norfolk reed roofing today - A guide to the benefits of thatching with reed (free).

See http://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/. Order by post (surface mail). Complete full details for your order and return it to:

Broads Authority
18 Colegate
Norwich
NR3 1BQ
UK
(01603) 610734

Comment: There are also two LIFE Nature projects which aim to increase the bittern population in the UK by restoring and managing reedbed.