Bishop Graham opened the exhibition at the Museum of the Broads on Sunday 21 April along with Nicholas Crane, the explorer and broadcaster.
Bishop Graham was there in his capacity as Abbot of St Benet’s Abbey on the Broads. He is also the lead Bishop for Environment for the Church of England and passionate about biodiversity and landscape.
The new display is called; ‘Digging, Draining, Drenching – the Story of Peat in the Broads’ and explores the impact of peat on the Broads landscape.
The Broads area is the largest protected wetland in the country. It is a peat or bog landscape. Peatlands cover 10% of the UK and 3% of the world. They support important species of plants and animals, and store 30% of the global carbon – twice that stored in forests. The Broads were caused by peat excavation and were man-made. The surrounding land was then drained with ditches and pumps and then walls were created to guard the farmland.
Bishop Graham said:
“The Broads Authority landscape is essential for carbon storage, biodiversity and the solace of the landscapes of the soul.”
The Museum of the Broads in Stalham helps to conserve, record and illustrate the history of The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads. The focus is on people’s relationship in the discovery and development of the local area. The new display opens on 24 April 2024.
Find out more about it here: New Exhibition – Museum of the Broads