On Thursday 24 October Water Resources East helped the Freshwater Habitats Trust launch their Important Freshwater Areas (IFA) analysis of the Broadland rivers catchment.
The IFA analysis uses a broad range of datasets to identify the most critical parts of Norfolk to restore, protect and conserve for freshwater biodiversity reasons. Rather than just focus on existing protected sites and designated areas, the analysis highlights the importance of other locations and areas higher up the catchment, including headwaters, ponds and smaller tributaries.  Focusing on these could be a cost-effective way to shift the dial on the ecological health of waterbodies and protected sites downstream.
Funded by Anglian Water's Get River Positive programme and by The Nature Conservancy and Water Resources East through the Norfolk Water Strategy Programme, this approach can help prioritise effective freshwater conservation and restoration including through Local Nature Recovery Strategies.
Read the report and watch the webinar here: wre.org.uk/broadland-rivers-important-freshwater-areas-ifa-analysis/