Dear All,
A few months back I sent an e-mail around saying that Andrew Baird and
Jane Bunting were planning to jointly run a fieldtrip to the floodplain
fens of the Norfolk Broads in the spring. The dates and locations are now
finalised. A detailed message from Andy Baird follows.
Norfolk fieldtrip - Firm locations and dates.
The locations are:
1. The RSPB's reserve at Strumpshaw Fen in the Yare Valley in the Norfolk
Broads. The site consists of a range of habitats, including open water,
grazing marsh, wet woodland, reed fen, and mixed, tall-herb fen. We'll be
looking at the general management of the site (which is quite complicated
hydrologically)with RSPB staff but will also look at an area where one of
my PhD students and I have studied hydrological and nutrient dynamics. Our
work included an assessment of the importance of (i) ground water
exchanges between the near-surface peat and the underlying mineral aquifer
and (ii) water exchanges between the near-surface peat and open water in
drainage/irrigation ditches. I will discuss the research and also
demonstrate one of the field methods we used to measure hydraulic
conductivity.
Basic information about Strumpshaw Fen can be found at:
http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves/guide/s/strumpshawfen/index.asp
http://www.birdsofbritain.co.uk/reserves/norfolk.htm
2. Wheatfen, a private nature reserve, also in the Yare Valley. Jane
Bunting and Martyn Waller (Kingston University) will discuss their
(palaeo)ecological work at the site.
Outline information about Wheatfen can be found at:
http://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/south-norfolk%5Cleisure.nsf/pages/nat03.html?OpenDocument&Start=1&Count=1000&ExpandView
We anticipate spending half a day at each site over the weekend of
23rd-24th April. Provisionally, we'll meet at 12.30 at Strumpshaw on 23rd
and spend the afternoon there, and spend the morning, and possibly early
afternoon, of the 24th at Wheatfen.
It will be up to participants to make their own transport arrangements,
although car users should be able to give people lifts from and to Norwich
railway station. There is a reasonable range of accommodation in the area.
Three websites that contain useful information on B&Bs and guest houses
are:
http://www.broadland.gov.uk/broadland/accom.nsf/MapForm?OpenForm&Query=(field+Category+contains+Bed+and+Breakfast)
http://www.norfolkbroads.com/accomm/innorwich.htm
http://www.bedandbreakfast-directory.co.uk/results.asp?town=Norwich&county=Norfolk&country=England
Jane and I will provide a firmer itinery nearer the time. In the meantime,
those interested in coming on the trip should email
me([log in to unmask]), or Jane ([log in to unmask]).
Best wishes,
Andy.
--
Andrew J. Baird
Professor of Physical Geography
Department of Geography
Queen Mary, University of London
Mile End
London
E1 4NS
email: [log in to unmask]
tel.: +44 (0)20 7882 7619; fax.: +44 (0)20 8981 6276
web page to follow soon
********
Research areas: physical processes (water and heat transfer) in wetland
soils; methane dynamics in peat soils; ecohydrological linkages in
northern peatlands; environmental modelling.
********
Andy is an associate editor of the journal Wetlands. For more information
on the journal see: http://www.sws.org/wetlands/
|