If you walk down towards Windmill Surgery from Friarscroft Lane, you’ll see the start of a gradual transformation of the area over the next few years.

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Greening Wymondham is managing one part for native flora and fauna and one for the public to wander through, or sit and enjoy the seasons and wildlife. We’re doing so with the help of South Norfolk District Council, who own the whole area,  and – because a large section is already a county wildlife site – Norfolk Wildlife Trust.

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As we remove rubbish from the site, we’re finding out remnants of its history.  Around thirty years ago, part of it was given over to allotments – there was a large shed with couches – clearly a home from home for the allotment holders!  We’re still coming across plant pots and sleepers and the odd garden plant.

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Then part became a builder’s storage yard – cue bricks, odd bits of iron.  There were various plans over the last decade or so for housing: dismissed, largely, because the area is full of springs and fears that building might precipitate flooding.  We’re still waiting to find out if it will be removed from the County Housing Plan.

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And of course, it became an illegal tipping site – everything from sheets of asbestos to oil barrels, old mattresses and bedsprings.

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We work there once a month – more volunteers always welcome! South Norfolk have built fencing to demarcate the wildlife area; Norwich Conservation Volunteers helped put up the dead-hedging along the path, and we’re putting in live hedging.

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The council re-dredged an old pond which we’ve been maintaining, building a sump to reduce the amount of silt born by springs which run under the path.  In time we hope to deepen this to attract frogs and toads and/or newts.  We’ve already seen a burst of dragonflies, damselflies, waterboatmen and water fleas.

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Clearing some bramble and nettle has been another priority – leaving plenty for wildlife (and humans – some of Wymondham’s best blackberries grow here).   The wildlife site is rare wet woodland with wet lawn, willow, and some statuesque chestnuts and oaks.  We’ve recently come across scarlet elf cap, and red-list nesting woodcock have been spotted.