In the East of England, partners have a history of working together; establishing fantastic wetland creation projects such as Great Fen, Wicken Vision, Ouse Fen and South Lincolnshire Fens Partnership.The fens once contained England’s largest wetland habitat. But the landscape has been intensively farmed for centuries and, today, less than 1% of the original habitat remains. The Fens for the Future Partnership are committed to establishing an East Anglian Fens NRN.
The soils of the East Anglian Fens, both silts and peat, support highly important agriculture.By reviewing current practices of land management and farming systems and acting to adopt environmental and nature friendly systems, including new systems such as wet farming, will help move the land nearer to a restored state.
The NRN will see wetland restored, re-created and reconnected across the fens for the benefit of people, natural and historic heritage, as well as the rural and tourism economies.
Catherine Weightman from Natural England said:
“Our work will return the fens to its rightful place as one of England’s most valuable habitats. By working together – restoring natural processes, conserving nature, managing water, and developing sustainable and environmental friendly farming practices – we can recover the area’s wonderful biodiversity. As a result, the fens will provide better flood storage, retain the peatland soils essential for capturing climate-harming gases and offer a haven for wildlife whilst maintaining its really important contribution to food production.”
The work will support ambitions for the fens to become a UNESCO-designated Biosphere Reserve – part of an international network of protected areas that balance the relationship between people and nature.
Professor Martin Price FRSE, vice-chair of the UK National Committee for UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Programme, said:
“The Cambridgeshire Fens Biosphere would be a double-first for the UK, as it would be in the lowlands and primarily comprises agricultural land in a region of high conservation value. It would bring a new focus to the sustainable development of this important region, strengthening its regional identity and facilitating increased interactions between the many R&D organisations and other stakeholders – all key aims of the UNESCO’s Biosphere Reserves. So I am very glad to support this initiative, which would greatly strengthen the UK’s network of Biosphere Reserves – and the world network as a whole.”