Wildlife trust's centenary 'free weekend in nature'

The UK's oldest wildlife trust is opening its sites for free for three days as part of its centenary celebrations.

The Norfolk Wildlife Trust (NWT) was founded by Dr Sydney Long. In 1926, he bought 435 acres of marsh at Cley next the Sea "as a bird-breeding sanctuary for all time".

Cley Marshes now attracts more than 100,000 visitors a year. Its purchase helped pave the way to what would become a nationwide network of county wildlife trusts.

Chief executive Eliot Lyne said: "It is a great honour to be at the helm of such a landmark organisation for UK nature conservation as it reaches this special milestone."

"It's incredible to think that the UK-wide country wildlife trust movement began with the purchase of Cley Marshes a century ago," said Lyne.

"Following 100 years of wildlife conservation in Norfolk, we have achieved so much — and honed the skills and experience to secure a wilder, healthier and more prosperous Norfolk into the next century.

"However, Norfolk's nature still faces huge threats.

"That's why we are raising our ambitions and looking forward to the next 100 years with hope."

Attenborough's special message

NWT's centenary is in the same year the broadcaster and natural historian David Attenborough celebrates his 100th birthday.

In a special message to NWT, he said: "I send my most sincere congratulations on achieving your centenary."

Species NWT has helped recover in Norfolk include crane, bittern, purple emperor butterfly and natterjack toad.

Parts of the wood, designated a site of special scientific interest, are known to have been there for 6,000 years.