THE BIG INTERVIEW
“ere is a very real danger that future generations will grow up without understanding or appreciating the outside world...”
Deb Jordan Co-Owner Pensthorpe Nature Reserve KL MAGAZINE: Could you give us a brief overview of Pensthorpe? DEB JORDAN: Visually, the reserve has changed dramatically over the past 30 years. With great foresight by the previous owner (Bill Makins), eight lakes were formed as the result of extracting over two million tonnes of sand and gravel – which was then cleverly transformed into wonderful wildlife habitats for this extremely diverse part of the Norfolk countryside. The reserve forms part of the larger Pensthorpe Estate and is situated in the heart of the Wensum Valley, which features a diverse mosaic of habitats and is home to an abundant array of wildlife. KL: How important is Pensthorpe – both locally and nationally? DJ: It is one of the few areas in the Wensum Valley that allows public access. We hope Pensthorpe is used as a ‘window’ onto the area so people can appreciate how lucky they are to have this amazing valley on their doorstep
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and the river that runs through it. The gardens are of national importance, and we’re also very involved in national breeding and release programmes with Corncrakes and European Cranes. KL: What does the future hold for Pensthorpe? DJ: We’re about to embark on a new and exciting phase in Pensthorpe’s development. This year sees the culmination of over five years’ work researching and testing ways of encouraging and engaging families to get outdoors and explore and enjoy nature. There’s a very real danger that future generations will grow up without understanding or appreciating the outside world. WildRootz – our new nature play area – aims to inspire children through fun activities which will challenge them and actively encourage the whole family to get involved. The ultimate aim is to inspire them to become more active at home
in preserving and understanding the natural world. KL: What does your role entail on a day-to-day basis? DJ: The first five years were extremely full on and at times very invasive into family life. Today, we have a very young and enthusiastic team with a great deal of specialist knowledge, so more of my time is spent getting updates on how things are progressing and making some of the more strategic decisions – which the team then looks to try and deliver on the ground. KL: What’s the most rewarding part of your job? DJ: Seeing and receiving feedback from visitors who feel their visit to Pensthorpe has altered their life in some way. It may be they arrived with certain preconceptions and left with an improved wellness and inspiration from being in harmony with nature and the wildlife that’s so abundant here.
KLmagazine July 2013