Breckland is a 39,433-hectare Special Protected Area (SPA) under the European Union's Wild Birds Directive. The SPA partially overlaps the 7,544-hectare Breckland Special Reserve. As a landscaped area, it is an unusual British natural habitat. It consists of gorse-covered sandy moors found mainly in South Norfolk but also in North Suffolk. An area of ??interest for unusual flora and fauna, it lies east of another unusual habitat, the Fens, and southwest of the Broads. The typical tree of this region is the Scots pine. Breckland is one of the driest regions in the UK.
Breckland's area has decreased significantly in the 20th century due to the impact of modern agriculture and the creation of Thetford Forest in 1914. However, important areas have been preserved, especially by the presence of the British Army in the Stanford combat zone.
In prehistoric times, Breckland was quarried for flint, evidence of which can be found at Grimes Graves just outside Thetford in Norfolk. The word 'Breck' dates back to medieval times and was defined as a barren area for farming before being allowed to retreat into the wilderness. Until 200 years ago, most of it was moorland.
Brecks is now a tourist attraction as well as a Geography and Science Interest Area.
The Breckland Landscape Region gives its name to Breckland County, a local government district that contains much of the Norfolk region of Breckland. Part of West Suffolk County includes part of Suffolk. The Great Eastern Pingo Trail consists of 8 miles of trails that explore the eastern edge of the Breckland region. The trail passes the village towns of Thompson and Stow Bedon and the moors of Brepris and Great Hockham. Thompson Water a man-made lake and Thompson Carr forest are also part of the walk. The trail's name derives from the old Great Eastern Railway and the large number of pingo ponds found in the area. Pingos ponds or warm pools are formed from a collapsed earthen-covered ice mound, called pingos, that is formed when the ice sheets recede. The trailhead can be reached by a detour via the Peddars Way hiking trail. It is a local nature reserve.
What is foster care?
Temporary custody or guardianship for children whose parents have died or cannot care for them. Check out the agencies listed for foster care in Breckland or foster care in other regions.