Wensum Valley Wildlife
Towards its Western end, the proposed Northern Distributor Road passes
through the Wensum Valley, the flood plain of the River Wensum and its
tributry the River Tud. The Wensum Valley is a Site of Special
Scientific Interest and European Special Area of Conservation.
The valley and its surrounding area contain 14 County Wildlife Sites.
It is home to a number of protected species including otters, just re-establishing
themselves after years of conservation work, and water voles, the most
rapidly declining mammal in the UK.
The following species information comes from the Biodiversity Action
Plans of the Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership, which includes the Norfolk
Wildlife Trust. And, ironically, Norfolk County Council! These
can be found on their excellent web site at http://www.norfolkbiodiversity.org/.
Otters (Lutra lutra):
The otter is listed on Appendix 1 of CITES, Appendix 11 of the Bern Convention
and Annexes 11 and IV of the Habitats Directive. It is protected under
Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and Schedule 2 of the
Conservation (Natural Habitats) Regulations 1994. The European sub-species
is listed as globally threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature
and Natural Resources (IUCN) and World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC)
Red Data List.
Water voles (Arvicola terrestris):
It has limited legal protection in Britain through its inclusion on Schedule
5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) in respect of Section
9(4) only. This makes it an offence to intentionally damage or destroy
or obstruct access to any structure or place which water voles use for
shelter or protection, or to disturb water voles while they are using such
a place.
Great Crested Newts (Triturus cristatus):
The great crested newt is listed on Annexes II and IV of the
EC Habitats Directive, Appendix II of the Bern Convention, and Schedule 5
of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Other important and vulnerable species potentially at risk from
the NDR:
White clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes), classed as
globally threatened by the IUCN and WCMC, and the depressed (!) river mussel
(Pseudanodonta complanata), seriously threatened throughout its
European range and belived vulnerabe to both pollution and the disturbance
of river banks. Also barn owls, hobbies and badgers.
Environmental Assessment:
Even NorfolkCouncil's own environmental
assessment concludes that all of the routes they have proposed have
"...the potential to significantly affect habitats, including those occupied
by protected species." Every possible route at the western
end of the proposed road is described as having a "very large adverse impact"
in terms of ecology. Every eastern route is described as having
a "large adverse impact".
The Council's response has been to omit from the lists in their consultation
leaflets some of the most important species affected, notably otters and water
voles, even though it is clear from the Environmental Assessment that they
know they are there. Presumably they are hoping that the public
will not realise until it's too late.
Water vole