The Wash & Norfolk Coast Dogs Project
Management Plan strand: Recreation
Project categories: Local Communities and the Rural Economy, Recreation
Project Summary
In 2019 an extensive report was published: Managing visitors with dogs within The Wash and North Norfolk Marine Partnership (WNNMP) area. This case study led review of current policy and practice resulted in recommendations for partnership-wide improvements to protect nature and culture.
Funding from West Norfolk Habitats Monitoring and Mitigation (HMM) Fund has enabled Norfolk Coast Partnership to deliver a joint project with WNNMP to deliver the recommendations from the report.
For more information, email [email protected]
Project Aims and Objectives
The recommendations from the 2019 report include:
- Guidance notes: Produce a series of simple practical guidance notes to support sites in managing their visitors with dogs
- Dog Walking Code: Share across sites to ensure consistency in messaging
- Professional Dog-walkers workshop: Session to better support this user group
- Communications Strategy Support: Provide advice to support sites in the development of their communications strategy and influence visitor facing websites
Project Partners
This project brings together multiple organisations working to promote responsible dog walking while protecting our coastal wildlife:
- Norfolk Coast Partnership
- Wash and North Norfolk Marine Partnership
- Brancaster National Trust (a pilot site for our work)
Project Timeline
Start date: July 2021
Completion date: March 2022
Key Achievements
Pre-visit Website Guidance
A document for site managers has been circulated and we worked through several updates and corrections to visitor facing websites including TripAdviser, DogFriendly.com and TheBeachGuide.co.uk.
Dog Memorials Information
We drafted an article highlighting the dangers of plastic and other avoidable waste in the environment which was published in The Barking Bugle and Town & Around Magazine.
Coastal Code Dog Leads
Dog leads carrying our Coastal Code ‘Enjoy, Protect, Respect’ message were distributed to nature sites, tourist information hubs, animal welfare officers, and wildlife crime enforcers, to assist with dog-control around The Wash and North Norfolk coast. They’re designed to be colourful and eye catching, in hopes of stimulating positive dialogue around responsible dog-walking.
Working with Dog Business Professionals
The Wash and North Norfolk Marine Partnership (WNNMP) and Norfolk Coast Partnership (NCP) worked with local nature sites to raise awareness of coastal wildlife disturbance issues, whilst ensuring that dog walking can still be enjoyed by both human and hound.
As part of this work, we connected with dog-related businesses who wish to support responsible dog walking. A free online workshop-style event was held in February 2022, to bring together like-minded businesses and provide an opportunity to learn more about our coastal landscapes and wildlife, the pressures they face and how dog-related businesses can support responsible dog walking.
Further Information
For more details about this project or to learn about responsible dog walking on the Norfolk Coast, please contact: