Learn more about the progress of Wicken Fen's ambitious project to restore 590 acres (239 hectares) of peatland.
Peatlands are earth's largest terrestrial carbon store, holding more than twice the amount of carbon than all the world's forests. The East Anglian Fens once covered a huge area of 3,800 square kilometres of deep peat, before being widely drained in the 17th century. Wicken Fen consists of one of the last remaining fragments of undrained fenland, of which only 1% remains, making the nature reserve a unique haven and one of the last refuges for a host of fenland species dependent on the peatland soils.
Without action, most remaining peat in the Fens could be lost within 30 years, emitting harmful carbon as it degrades. Across Wicken Fen, a project is afoot to restore peat, retaining rainwater and managing water tables. Keeping peatlands in a healthy, saturated state enables them to store carbon, help control flooding, reduce wildfire risk and drought, and provide important habitat for rare wildlife including waterbirds.
Project partners
This £2 million project is predominately funded through DEFRA’s 'Nature for Climate' Peatland Grant Scheme (NCPGS) managed by Fens East Peatland Partnership (FEPP) lead partner; Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, with match funding from grants, philanthropy and corporate partners including Starling Bank and Anglian Water.
Video
Peatland restoration at Wicken Fen
Ellis Selway (Peatland Restoration Project Manager) talks about the physical challenges and opportunities of restoring fenland peat within the current and ‘Wider Vision’ area of Wicken Fen.
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Video
Project Progress
16 October
Work complete on Verrall's Fen
One year after work began on Burwell Fen, work on ancient Verrall's Fen has now been completed, with the installation of seven new crossing points across our ditch networks, enabling safer access for both livestock and equipment used to manage the reserve. The new crossings incorporate water controls so that we can better manage water levels across the compartments contained within. New fencing and gates have been installed across the reserve to manage livestock movement and enable easier access on the public and permissive rights of way network.
Funded by DEFRA’s LAPSIP a new flux tower has been installed by Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) on Sedge Fen. This will allow us to monitor greenhouse gases - such as carbon dioxide and methane - along with climate data. Healthy peatlands store carbon and the flux tower will monitor the release and capture of carbon. Like most peatlands, the fen at Wicken is at risk from climate change and more water is needed to help capture carbon. This will give us invaluable insight along our other monitoring to see how the fen is being affected.
Works on Verrall's Fen
Works are currently being undertaken on Verrall’s Fen to upgrade crossing points over our ditch network. Delayed from a very wet autumn last year, the drought conditions provide a window to install in drier conditions. These crossings provide safe access for management and movement of our wild livestock. The works will take around 10 weeks to complete and our funded through the Nature for Climate fund.
This week started with World Peatlands Day and seems the perfect time to celebrate the completion of our Peatland Restoration Project here at Wicken Fen. The newly wetted area on Burwell Fen is buzzing with birds, including little ringed plover.
The bog oak unearthed from Spinney Bank has been precisely dated by the Cambridge Archaeological Unit using tree-ring analysis. The results show the oak began growing in 2894 BC, lived for 222 years, pre-dating the start of peat formation, and links the site to a dry Late Neolithic woodland. This find is older than the stones at Stonehenge.
The introduction of water via the water transfer pipe has transformed the restoration area. This has been visited by a variety of birds including numerous great white egrets and a pair of cranes. The footpath across Burwell Fen is now fully open again, which gives fantastic views (but please keep dogs on leads to avoid disturbance to breeding birds). Water levels will fall over the summer as our main source is limited by winter abstraction from the lode. We will, however, be utilising our new solar pump to transfer water from the internal drainage channel.
Spinney Bank and Verrall’s Fen
The repair of the bank has had a positive impact on water levels on Verrall’s Fen. The bank has been re-seeded with a wildflower mix, but the dry spring conditions means establishment is slow. This area of Spinney Bank will remain fenced to allow establishment. The works on Spinney Bank have revealed some fantastic archaeology including bog oaks and a historic watermill.
Tubney Fen
Our winter abstraction has created some fantastic wetland features, which provide valuable feeding grounds for waders such as lapwing, and even a curlew has been recorded! We have repaired connections to our abstraction point so water can run freely into the fen over the winter. But the dry spring conditions have seen water levels recede. Over the summer, we will be repairing fencing and tenant livestock will return.
Next steps...
Join us for a fortnight of events from Saturday 24 May to Sunday 8 June: we will celebrate the unique landscape and heritage of the Fens. World Peatland Day (Monday 2 June) falls in the middle of this two-week celebration, which is organised by the Fens East Peat Partnership (FEPP). Find our more: Celebrating our fen peatlands | Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust
We are working with the Environment Agency and other partners to secure more water for the reserve. This includes a review of existing abstraction and opportunities to store water on the reserve through the creation of nature-friendly reservoir. We are also developing plans to restore Hurdle Hall Fen, which is located next to Burwell Fen.
Burwell Fen
Water levels on the newly restored area have been rising with the new swale (shallow channel with gently sloping sides) providing a new wetland feature. There have been further delays in the installation of water transfer pipe which will now be completed by end of February. Bunding between two compartments to the South has been repaired and the path surface upgraded. This footpath will be re-open in the spring.
Spinney Bank
The repaired bank with liner is making a positive impact, retaining water on Verrall’s Fen.
Tubney Fen
Two water control structures have been installed to allow us to manage water levels more effectively across the site. The third will be installed later in the year. The bunding combined with ‘turning on the taps’ have had a significant impact on raising water levels – it’s amazing to see a pair of cranes enjoying our restored area!
Over the last couple of weeks, a pair of cranes have been seen regularly by the new wetland habitat on Tubney Fen, created as part of the Peatland Restoration project. The pair have also been spending time on Burwell Fen, where water levels have been raised following the completion of the new bund. It is brilliant to see wetland wildlife already benefiting from our restoration work, proving that 'if you build it, they will come'!
The majority of works on Burwell Fen are now complete. A new sluice has been installed, which will enable us to control water levels more effectively. The surfacing of the footpath through the Fen has been improved but remains closed until spring 2025. The clay perimeter bund and breaking-up of field drains is already resulting in more water being held in the peat. Both barn and short-eared owls have been seen foraging.
In January, works will be undertaken to complete path surfacing and installation of a water transfer pipe over the new crossing point. Shortly after, we will be turning on our water abstraction and watching the re-wetting of the Fen.
Spinney Bank
Both the waterproof liner in Spinney Bank and the reduction in scrub are already resulting in more water being held on Verrall's Fen.
Tubney Fen
In the new year, three water control structures will be installed to allow us to manage water levels more effectively across the site.
Verrall’s Fen
The combination of delays in bridge fabrication and increasing water levels, has resulted in us decided to delay the installation of new crossing points until summer 2025. As a protected site, which holds our deepest peat (up to 4 metres), the risk of irreparable damage was too high.
Burwell Fen
The formation of the perimeter bund is now complete. A shallow channel, known as a swale, has been formed between the two palaeochannels (historic river channels). This has exposed some relic river sand and gravel, which would have been deposited in the post-glacial period.
Spinney Bank
The waterproof liner is now fully installed, and the area is being fenced off to allow the vegetation to recover.
Tubney Fen
Both bunds have now been installed. Work starts next week on the installation of water control structures to help manage water levels more effectively across the site.
Verrall’s Fen
The installation of new crossing points has been slightly delayed but will start next week. These will provide essential access to enable management of the fen.
The formation of the perimeter bund is on the back straight and nearing completion. We have also installed a solar pump, which will allow us to put water on to the fen during the summer months. Work will start soon on the installation of the water transfer pipe and new crossing point.
Spinney Bank
The final length of liner has been installed this week. After much consideration, the historic engine house will be retained as it was possible to install the liner behind the brickwork (see photograph).
Tubney Fen
The southern bund has been installed and an old redundant water control removed to help retain water on the Fen.
Verrall’s Fen
Work starts next week on the installation of the new crossing points to enable safe access for our management activities. There will be some disruption in the main car park and outside visitor centre but these remain open during works - thank you for your understanding.
Around one third of the perimeter bund is now complete. It will be compacted and covered with site-won sandy soils found during the trench works to promote vegetation growth and prevent the clay cracking. The borrow pit is now being partially infilled with site won peat and sands to reduce depth and create irregular profile. Some deeper deposits of peat (2 metres) have been found during the works.
Spinney Bank
Cambridge Archaeological Unit (CAU) have been documenting the foundations of a historic windpump (pictured), which was used to drain surrounding land. There have been a few finds including an intact ginger beer bottle made in nearby Burwell and remainsof an ancient bog oak, which is being dated using a dendrochronology sample taken. There is a clear seam of woody material, which indicates the inundation of sea water likely in the bronze age c. 2,600 years BC. The earthworks have exposed nearly 6,000 years of history!
The waterproof liner is being installed and anchored in with clay to form a watertight seal to keep water on the Fen.
Tubney Fen
Next week sees the start of works to create similar bunds being constructed on Burwell but these will intersect the historic palaeochannel (ancient, extinct river) to raise water levels on the Fen. CAU will be undertaking further investigations.
Works continue at pace. Contractors have installed around 250 metres of the perimeter bund, formed from site-won clay. A trench is initially cut and any field drains broken. The top layer of peat is temporarily set aside and the underlying clay mixed with site won clay to form impermeable barrier. The peat excavated will be returned to the borrow pit and then saturated with water. There has been one archaeological find; a worked flint.
Spinney Bank (Verrall’s Fen)
Contractors have been stripping the bank surface material and forming two trenches, which the new impermeable liner will be laid over and anchored in (by clay) alongside the existing liner. This will form a watertight seal preventing water being lost from the Fen. A layer about 2 metres below ground contains a large quantity of bog oaks (partially decomposed trees). Cambridge University Archaeological Unit have taken samples of these to determine species and age.
The scrub clearance work on Verrall's Fen is now complete. Scrub had developed over the years without intervention, quickly swamping rare fenland habitat with trees. This area will now be managed through extensive grazing and further mechanical cutting on rotation to promote a diverse habitat structure.
Tubney Fen
Works on Tubney have been brought forward and are due to start next week. Further updates to follow.
Contractors have broken ground at Burwell after initial archaeological investigations of the borrow pit (where we source clay to form the bunds) found insignificant activity. There was some evidence of ploughing marks and field drainage within the clay layer, probably from the ‘Dig for Britain’ push in the 1940s. Work has now started on forming the perimeter bund. This is constructed by creating a trench and backfilling with site-won clay to form a waterproof seal. The excavated peat will then be laid back into the borrow pit after the clay is excavated and saturated, forming a wetland feature.
Earthworks commence on Burwell Fen, with the footpath closure coming into place. Work also starts on Verrall's Fen along Spinney Bank, there will be a partial path diversion over the next six months here, too. This is to ensure a safe working area for construction and re-establishment of vegetation.
Tree contractors are working on Verrall’s Fen, contained within Wicken SSSI, to reduce the dominance of scrub which can, without intervention, overcome rare fenland sedge habitat and increase carbon dioxide emissions. Trees on peat draw up water through transpiration, which can - depending on weather conditions - lead to a decrease in water levels and increased peat decomposition into carbon dioxide. The aim is to achieve a balance between valuable scrub habitats and peat that supports rare fen communities. A combination of grazing and rotational cutting with a specialist Fen Harvester, will help restore this balance. This replicates centuries of historic management of the Fen.
Archaeological investigations are being undertaken by Cambridge Archaeological Unit across the areas the sites set for restoration. Restoration has been informed through peat coring to understand condition and depths; hydrological monitoring through dipwells (which measure water level fluctuations) and historical records of relic river channels and anthropogenic use. Initial investigations will focus on the potential opportunity for intact peat structures which represent layers through time. Further investigations will then focus on the level of prehistoric activity prior to freshwater and marine inundation.
