Great Fen Living Landscape – a developing wetland in the UK

Kate Carver Great Fen Project Manager Lorna Parker Great Fen Restoration Officer

Great Fen Sunrise –Mark Williams. The Great Fen

99% loss of East Anglian wetland habitat Pre‐drainage a landscape of acidic bogs and open lakes • End of ice age , sea levels rise, marine and fluvial inundations flood forests of alder and oak, pine and birch. Peat forms.

• By 2500BC, pool & hummock, raised acidic bog.

• 1300BC River Nene changes direction and volume forms shallow lakes on top of peat Systematic drainage ‐ loss of habitat and biodiversity Bigger, better, more joined up.

• Remnants of natural and semi natural East Anglian fens survive • NNR SSSI Geological Conservation Review site • NNR SSSI Ramsar site and a Special Area of Conservation • Fragile survivors within intensively cultivated arable land 2001 The vision for the Great Fen Living landscape • Transform 3,700 hectares (9143 acres) by creating a nationally important wetland linking two National Nature Reserves • A new resilient fenland landscape 50 – 100 year timescale

4.8km Partnership working • Environment Agency • District Council • Middle Level Commissioners • Natural England • Wildlife Trust for and A Masterplan to achieve a sustainable landscape – multiple aims Aim one ‐ Natural and Historic Environment To create a new resilient fenland landscape delivering sustainable wildlife and heritage benefits Aim two ‐ Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation To plan, design and manage the Great Fen to benefit climate change adaptation and mitigation Aim three‐ Social To create an accessible, inspiring and tranquil environment for recreation, education, health and wellbeing Aim four ‐Economic To contribute to diversification and development of the Supplementary planning document local economy. Education & Community Reconnecting landscape and people

• Natural Environment and cultural heritage • Target Audiences – young people, isolated older people, sensory impaired, pre school, families. • School programmes • Holiday events & activities • Walks and talks –health and wellbeing • Volunteer programmes • Suspicion, concern, disinterest transformed –a shift in hearts and minds The right tools for the job –a toolkit for delivery

www.greatfen.org.uk

And, amazing events, outreach activities and much more….. Unexpected connections we have gone places, had experiences and created opportunities for learning and enjoyment we couldn’t have possibly imagined….

“ Economic benefit for ourselves and others

Bringing communities together to take action for economic development and sustainability Planned visitor centre “Think the unthinkable. It can be possible if you dream it”

Cranes: Vadim Gorbatov, 2005. Back to our primary aim How are we doing?

• Project area 3,700 hectares • Today, 1229 ha under restoration (approx. 1/3) 933 HLF funded • With the NNRs (474ha) total comes to 1703 ha managed for nature (46%) • Project partnership owns 55.5% How are we doing? – developing a new landscape Eco‐hydrological modelling •Various climate change scenarios used to model habitat creation, based on topography and water availability •Most identified a significant water deficit one year in four •Habitats which are achievable and sustainable within the potential water resource is the focus Working with water and topography to create a diverse mosaic of plant communities and habitats

M24 wet grassland and MG8 poorly drained permanent pasture

S24 Fen meadow

S4 Reedbed

M5 Flower rich hay meadow First steps from farm to wetland Not as simple as just add water….. Challenges to delivery • Tenancies and landholding • Hydrology and peat • Water availability and abstraction • Consents and permissions • Protected species • Archaeology • Funding and match funding • Infrastructure requirements What’s happened so far? •Working on a farm by farm basis… •Rymes Reedbed •Kester’s Docking •Engine Farm • No longer just a Kester’s Docking Rymes Reedbed ‘project’

Transform 3,700 hectares (9143 acres) Corney’s Farm by creating a 10.5 km nationally important Darlow’s Farm Middle Farm wetland linking two Ramsey Heights NNRs

A new resilient fenland landscape 50 – 100 year timescale

4.8 km Loss of peat – shrinkage, oxidation changes to peat chemistry Rymes Reedbed 2011 • Primary aim - To develop a diverse and rich matrix of reedbed, open water, fen habitat and grazing. • 7 ha open water • 35ha reedbed/fen • 33ha wet grassland • 55 ha dry grassland • 130 ha new habitat • Water levels raised to match existing ground level

Rymes Reedbed 2016 Restored agricultural reservoir

Little Owl Common Snipe Jacksnipe Water Shrew Kester’s Docking 2011/12 • Next section east of 130 ha • Similar mix of habitats

Engine Farm 2015 Engine Farm –Aerial photo 04 March 2016 Engine Farm –Aerial video 04 March 2016 Engine Mere –Aerial 20 July 2016

60m Little Ringed Plover We have taken flat, dry, empty land; secured the soils, created topography, retained water and set the stage for wildlife to colonize

“Wildlife on a vast scale…Grandeur, wilderness and hope for the future “ volunteer feedback How do we know we are succeeding?

Establishing baseline and biological records database Infographics by Stewart Howe

Breeding Lapwings 2017 Future aspirations – Flood storage Climate Change & Eco System Services Ecological resilience & long term sustainability – • Working with CEH • Akin to the COSMOS‐UK project • Monitoring station to measure soil moisture, carbon flux emissions (not yet methane) • Inform debate on ability • Study to identify extent of peat of wetland creation and resource and comparative study of Living Landscapes to offsetting metrics mitigate the impacts of climate change. Models for improving Water quality

• Currently highly eutrophic (nutrient rich) water enters Woodwalton Fen → species loss • Also issues with lack of water flow and oxygen levels • Proposals to run water through cleansing vegetation beds on adjacent restored land Testing new methods of wetland agriculture • Wetland specialists can clean water & remove nutrients • Commercial applications too – Glyceria wetland cereal; Typha sugar rich rhizomes for cattle feed and applications in building industry; Sphagnum horticultural growing medium and medical applications • Working with partner UEL to establish proof of method

Glyceria fluitans Typha latifolia Sphagnum palustre Glyceria plot Find out more www.greatfen.org.uk Photographs by: Amy Lewis Helen Bailey George Barker Gary Dean Julian Dowse Josh Hellon Barrie Galpin Julian Hodgeson Geoff Harries Jess Hatchett

Sarah Lambert Kevin Lunham

Rupert Paul Guy Pilkington Henry Stanier Rob Strachan Kim Taylor Rhona Watson Siân Williams Filip Szymanski Danke fürs Zuhören Some extra slides at the end if we want to do some swops Great Fen LivingThe Landscape Great Fen –a developing wetland in the UK Update 5th May 2016 KateKate Carver Carver Great Fen Project Manager Great Fen Project Manager Lorna Parker Great Fen Restoration Officer Engine Farm 2015 • 95 ha wet grassland on peat soils in SW corner • 43 ha drier grassland pools of open water –soil drier, less organic, alkaline, free draining. Upwood seed. • 40ha wildflower and farmland bird plot – demonstrate environmentally sensitive farming in fenland area; and sensory feature • Water – gravity fed system through ditches • Connectivity for wildlife and people www.greatfen.org.uk UEL glyceria pilot plot – getting started

• Installation of Deer proof fencing surrounding the glyceria plot –May 2017