Conservation
Conservation at Pensthorpe
For many visitors, experiencing birds such as bearded reedlings, avocets and turtle doves ‘up close’ is something really special. Working with the Pensthorpe Estate, the PCT has created really great opportunities to get much closer to many bird species than would normally be possible. Habitat management, such as varying levels, shorelines and water depths and a wader scrape where levels can be manipulated to allow seasonal flooding, helps provide suitable breeding habitat for birds such as avocets, lapwings and redshanks. In addition to wetlands, conservation work at Pensthorpe also includes managing a range of other habitats. On site biodiversity Action Plans have been formulated with the aim of encouraging existing species such as water voles, slowworms, sand martins and the little ringed plover. The information we gather enables us to build a long-term picture of the status of wildlife in the Wensum Valley and how to best to manage it.
These habitats include:- Breckland grassland, heath and scrub
- Water meadows
- Conservation Grade farmland, field margins and setaside
- Mixed deciduous and coniferous woodland
- Waterbodies of varying depths, size and shape, edged by reeds, trees, grasses and rushes
Pensthorpe Conservation Centre
The Pensthorpe Conservation Centre provides a special home for a regionally important collection of bird species and incorporates a cranery, which houses 8 out of the worlds' 15 species of cranes. Over half of these species are endangered or threatened. The PCT is concentrating its conservation work on helping these birds and now works with East African and West African Crowned Cranes, Stanley, Sandhill and Manchurian Cranes as well as Eurasian and Demoiselle Cranes. In addition to cranes, the PCT also breeds species such as greater flamingos; white, black and Marabou storks; scaly-sided mergansers and many other wildfowl; waders such as redshank, avocets and stilts; and red squirrels (which have been released to reinforce the wild population on Anglesey).
Volunteering
Situated within the River Wensum Special Area for Conservation, and just a mile outside Fakenham in North Norfolk, Pensthorpe provides an ideal location for people wishing to volunteer on conservation projects. The PCT was specifically established to provide opportunities for volunteers to participate practically within a range of high quality conservation projects. To this end, the PCT has developed a range of projects (both long and shorter term) ranging from assisting with education programmes to land management; based around volunteer participation and often run in conjunction with other conservation groups.
