Frenze Beck Nature Reserve

About

Frenze Beck is a 15 acre county wildlife site on the outskirts of Diss in Norfolk. The name comes from the adjacent tributary which is an important part of the River Waveney catchment system.

The site was created by South Norfolk Council in 2003 from an area of marginal flood-prone land as part of a European Transnational Ecological Network (TEN) project. This provided a range of wetland, meadow, pasture and scrub habitats. Two reed beds were excavated along with integral ponds and ditches. The riverbank was also lowered to allow the river to ‘overtop’ into the reed beds and reduce pressure on the River Waveney at periods of peak flow.

After a period of neglect, much of the wetland was overgrown with willow scrub and the pathways fell into disrepair. Since 2016 our volunteers have turned the site back into a haven for wildlife and visitors. Working closely with South Norfolk Council and the Norfolk Wildlife Trust, we are following a 10 year restoration plan drawn up by a local ecologist.

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Visiting Frenze Beck

The nature reserve is open to the public every day. The main entrance is on the east side of Sawmills Road, opposite the Animal Feed Warehouse (IP22 4GG).

Car parking is available in front of the barrier to the main entrance. There is also a pedestrian entrance on Sandy Lane with nearby lay-by parking.

Volunteering

We carry out a variety of conservation and management jobs on site every Monday morning from 09.30 to 13:00.

Activities include keeping the river clear of debris, maintaining footpaths, managing reed beds, trimming vegetation, building habitats and picking up litter. Recording plants and animals observed on the nature reserve is another important activity.

Volunteers from Scole Nature Trails Trust also help us to manage this site.

New volunteers are always very welcome.