Trinity Broads – Gastro venue?

Eilish Rothney, Trinity Broads Warden

Potamogeton freisii

Today I have before me a large bowl of Zannicellia, served on a bed of Chara with a light garnish of Crispus. Maria has opted for Freisii with Pusillus and Liz is just going for Green Jelly Algae. Adam however is looking forward to Najas marina (if they have caught any fresh today).

Some of you may have rumbled me – I am not talking about food at all but about some of the wonderful aquatic plants we have been discovering in the crystal clear waters of the Trinity Broads. And no, we don’t eat them, although the names make them sound fit for an Italian delicatessen. 

We have been carrying out the biannual survey, part of the monitoring on the broads to keep a check on their health and recovery. Getting the right balance of plants is important; they provide food and refuge to many underwater creatures, produce oxygen and even help keep the water clear. 

Hydrodictyon- Hairnet algae

We still suffer from some algal growth including “Enteromorpha” which looks like green tripe (not so attractive on the menu) and Hydrodictyon or “Hairnet algae” – which looks exactly like its description.  

These plants are on the menu for some of the numerous birds that can be seen on the Trinity Broads such as coot and swans and of course many others feed on the small fish amongst the plants including kingfisher and great crested grebe. If you want to see a few plants for yourselves come to the NWT stand at the Norfolk Show!

Kingfisher and great crested grebes

 Photos Eilish Rothney and Dickie Lay