Do you find yourself doom scrolling through endless cycles of bad news? Lift your weary spirits by getting outside in the fresh air to be inspired by some of the brilliant things being done here in Norfolk to ensure a nature friendly future.

At Alderfen Marshes, a private conservation site, you’ll walk though rich wildlife habitats and discover how they’re managed to support natural diversity. Have a go at supervised practical hands-on conservation activities designed to enhance the rich wetland habitat, unique to the Norfolk Broads. Each season brings different challenges so you’ll find out about tree planting, coppicing and how the marshland environment supports prolific summer growth, with the plants being a fantastic CO2 sponge. Learn how this works for carbon capture and locking carbon as biochar, an important part of the marsh’s year round conservation approach. And hear about how natural plants are sustainably harvested to produce a range of delicious wild teas, including water-mint, fen-nettle, elderflower, dandelion and meadowsweet.

There’ll be time to linger, look and listen to the astonishing variety of flora and fauna out on the marshes, a liminal place where the natural world is held in balance. Wandering amongst the swishing reeds, gazing up at restless clouds racing over a wide open sky will restore your mood and reset your mind. You might see a spectacular winter sunset over the marshes, another way Norfolk’s wild places and sweeping vistas do so much to reinvigorate our heart and soul.