Project Name

Great Fen Project

Country

England

Current land designations

Woodwalton Fen: SSSI, SAC, NNR, Ramsar site, Holmewood Fen: SSSI, NNR, GCR

Specific location

Cambridgeshire

Year rewilding started

2001

Grid reference

TL179862

Location

Latitude: 52 27 40 N Longitude: 00 15 54 W

Altitude

Project Management

Ownership: Conservation managed areas: EN & WT, Non conservation managed areas: Private farmers;

Management: Partnership between WT, EN, EA & Huntingdonshire DC

Area under rewilding (hectares)

3700ha

Project funding

Funded through efforts of the four main partners, with governmental, charitable and lottery

donations

Rewilding methods

Combination of two exiting NNRs (Woodwalton Fen and Holme Fen), removal of scrub and agricultural land, removal of flooding pressures, extensive grazing, drainage reversal

Habitats present

Low-lying wetlands habitat, reed reds, fen, wet woodland, arable

Target species

Low-land wading birds

Species reintroductions

Short term: Plants- Fen Ragwort, Fen Violet, Long term (in up to a decade): Large Copper Butterfly

Access to the area

Fairly open to public, softly managed; may include some restrictions

Links to further information

English Nature Information: www.greatfen.org.uk