
The Brecks
The Brecks
The Brecks is a unique and interesting landscape. Made up of rare grass heathland, the largest lowland forest in the UK, wildlife-rich farmland and unusual wetlands, it spans almost 1,000 square kilometers across the heart of East Anglia.
You know you’re in the Brecks when you see the funny shaped, gnarled pine trees in rows – the pine lines.
Sandy, flinty soil, hot days and cool nights, combined with the fact it’s the driest part of the UK, create unique populations of wildlife and a distinctive terrain. People have influenced the Brecks too through farming, flint mining, rabbit warrening, military usage and forest planting.
Nearly 13,000 species have been recorded in The Brecks, with 28 per cent of the UK’s rarest species found here.
The Brecks is internationally important for its rare wildlife and heritage, but this is under threat. We’re working with communities, farmers, businesses and many organisations to help save it.
Downloads
PDF, 2.46Mb. Date: 29 July 2015
Futurescapes - The BrecksNearby reserves
Reserves and other protected areas are a key part of Futurescapes. They provide core areas for nature to thrive and eventually repopulate the surrounding landscapes. The key RSPB reserves within this Futurescape are:
Lakenheath Fen
At Lakenheath Fen, the RSPB has converted arable farmland into a large wetland. There is a new visitor centre where you can find out more about the reserve, its wildlife and history. An events programme is run throughout the year and family explorer backpacks and trail guides are also available.
Featured projects
We're working to safeguard and improve special places for nature. Each Futurescape contains a range of initiatives in addition to our reserves. The combination of these creates better conditions for wildlife across the countryside.
EU LIFE+ Project - Securing the future of the stone-curlew in the UK
The recovery of the enigmatic stone-curlew in the UK has been heavily reliant on help from RSPB staff. They have closely monitored the population and rescued nests and chicks from agricultural operations. The recent EU LIFE+ project has increased the amount of safe nesting habitat in order to reduce the need for intensive protection work, with the aim making the UK population more sustainable.
Our partners
Futurescapes is all about collaboration. There are many organisations and people involved in managing land in The Brecks. Our challenge is working together to find ways of making more space for nature. To achieve this we’re working with:
- Breaking new ground
- Brecks Partnership
- British Trust for Ornithology
- Butterfly Conservation
- English Heritage
- The Environment Agency
- Forestry Commission
- Natural England
- National Trust
- Norfolk Biodiversity Information Service
- Norfolk Biodiversity Partnership
- Norfolk Wildlife Trust
- Plantlife
- Suffolk Biodiversity Partnership
- Suffolk County Council
- Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Saving special places
-
Curlews in crisis: one year on
For this year’s World Curlew Day, Thursday 21st April 2022, amongst the enjoyment of this beautiful yet gravely threatened bird, comes an update on the ambitious conservation delivery project, Curlews in crisis (Curlew LIFE). The project is app...(re...
Posted 21/04/2022 by Vanessa Amaral-Rogers -
The conservationist's dilemma: an update on the science, policy and practice of the impact of predators on wild birds (8)
As we have written in previous years, the decision to introduce any form of predator control (lethal or non-lethal) is something we never take lightly. It’s always based on evidence and guided by the RSPB’s Council-agreed policy. The RSPB...(read mor...
Posted 20/09/2021 by martinfowlie -
G7 Commentary - Nature compact success or failure?
For the first time the G7 has made a nature-positive commitment to halt and reverse the loss of biodiversity by 2030. This is unprecedented. Never before we have seen nature prioritised in a way that recognises the importance of a healthy natural wor...
Posted 14/06/2021 by Vanessa Amaral-Rogers -
A big step for international whale conservation - sei whale Key Biodiversity Area in Falklands
By Michelle Winnard, Communications Officer, Falklands Conservation Sei whale by Caroline Weir, Falklands Conservation In a big step for international whale conservation, the Falkland Islands have been confirmed as a hotspot for a globally end...(re...
Posted 12/05/2021 by Heather Mitchell