Have any questions?
01603 814869
Have any questions?
01603 814869
Norfolk FWAG is a delivery body for Natural England’s District Level Licensing Scheme (DLL), which is a landscape-scale approach designed to compensate for the impacts of development on great crested newt habitat. The scheme pays for the restoration of overgrown and neglected ponds as well as the creation of new ponds.
Norfolk FWAG are actively seeking landowners in the county who are looking to restore and/or create ponds on their land. In most cases, we can provide 100% funding for eligible ponds and we will oversee the process with very little paperwork involved for landowners. Ponds entered into the scheme will also be eligible for funding to carry out periodic maintenance and monitoring over the next 25 years.
In order to qualify for the funding, ponds restored or created should deliver high-quality breeding habitat for great crested newt. This includes excellent water quality, well connected to suitable terrestrial habitat, and minimal disturbance from livestock, dogs, waterfowl and humans. You can view the full set of criteria below. If you think you have suitable ponds, please get in touch with and one of advisers will take you though the next steps.
Whilst the focus of the DLL funding is for great crested newt, a healthy farmland pond is an extremely valuable resource for a whole host of wildlife and perhaps one of the most important habitats within the farmed landscape. We recognise that many ponds will fall outside of the criteria for District Level Licensing, but they can be equally as important. Norfolk FWAG can also support with alternative funding streams for pond restoration and management through the Sustainable Farming Incentive and Countryside Stewardship.
Please get in touch if you would like to discuss other funding streams for ponds or considering becoming a member to access to our free telephone advice.
During the winter of 2023-2024, Norfolk FWAG team members, Evan Burdett and Henry Walker, worked with Norfolk County Council to identify ponds eligible for restoration and opportunities for pond creation to reverse terrestrialisation.
Our team set out with the goal of creating a detailed report that would provide an understanding of this situation, which would then assist in targeting environmental stewardship options and other initiatives.
In celebration of Earth Day, a spirited group of volunteers from Crisp Malt joined forces with representatives from Norfolk FWAG — Henry Walker and Bea White — along with farmer, Nick Anema, for a day of tree guard removal.
As the Norfolk delivery partner for the DEFRA Future Farming Resilience Fund-funded Royal Countryside Fund run, and Farm for the Future programme, Norfolk FWAG’s Sasha Wells and Bea White are providing essential support to farmers.