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Wicken Fen is a wetland nature reserve situated near the village of Wicken, Cambridgeshire, England.
It is one of Britain's oldest nature reserves, and was the first reserve acquired by the National Trust, in 1899. The reserve includes fenland, farmland, marsh and reedbeds. Wicken Fen is one of only four wild fens which still survive in the enormous Great Fen Basin area of East Anglia: 99.9% of the former fens have now been replaced by arable cultivation.
Wildlife
Naturalists were originally drawn to Wicken because of its species richness and the presence of rarities. The Fen has therefore received a great deal of recording effort and huge species lists have accumulated. Many nationally rare species have been recorded. Indeed, in 1998 over 20 species new to the Fen were recorded for the first time. Many of these lists can be downloaded from the fen website (see below). It was established as a nature reserve because of its invertebrate and plant interest. Nearly 5,000 species have so far been identified on the fen, including more than 121 that are included in the Red Data Book of rare invertebrates.
- Invertebrates
- Plants
- Birds The site is mainly noted for its plants and invertebrates, but many birds also can be seen, and these are particularly popular with visitors as they are often easier to observe than the more elusive insects and plants. Bird species recorded living at the site include great crested grebe, cormorant, gadwall, teal, sparrowhawk, water rail, kingfisher, snipe, woodcock, great spotted and green woodpecker; and barn, little, tawny, long-eared and short-eared owl. Visiting birds include bittern, whooper swan, golden plover, garganey, pochard, goosander, marsh harrier, hen harrier, merlin and hobby. In season, it is most unlikely that visitors will fail to hear the 'drumming' of snipe.
- Habitats
Wicken Fen is divided by a man-made watercourse called "Wicken Lode". The area north of Wicken Lode, together with a small area known as Wicken Poors' Fen, forms the designated National Nature Reserve. These areas contain original peat fen with communities of carr and sedge. They support rare and uncommon fenland plants such as marsh pea, Cambridge milk parsley, fen violet and marsh fern. This part of the Fen can be enjoyed from a series of boardwalks.
The area south of the Lode is called "Adventurer's Fen" and consists of rough pasture, reedbed and pools.
The dykes, abandoned clay pits and other watercourses carry a great wealth of aquatic plants, many of which are uncommon elsewhere.
Management
Although it is often described as a natural wilderness, it is neither — humans have been closely involved in the fen for centuries and the reserve is managed intensively to protect and maintain the delicate balance of species which has built up over the years. Much of the management tries to recreate the old systems of fen working which persisted for hundreds of years, allowing species to become dependent on the practices. For example the Sedge plant, Cladium mariscus, is harvested every year and sold for thatching roofs. The first recorded sedge harvest at Wicken was in 1414. Ever since then, sedge has been regularly cut. This has allowed a pattern of plants and animals to build up who depend on regular clearance of the sedge to survive. Many plants and animals are dependent upon regular management of vegetation in this way to keep their habitats going. Konik Ponies and Highland cattle have now been introduced to parts of the fen to prevent scrub from regrowing as a part of the management plan.The present appearance of Wicken Fen is the result of centuries of management by human beings. Many of the practices now undertaken have changed little since medieval times. In surrounding areas, the landscape has changed so completely that it is almost impossible to imagine how it must once have all looked. Only a very few places survive where it is possible to experience this primitive landscape first hand - Wicken Fen is one of these.
Enlargement of the reserve
On May 1 1899 the National Trust purchased two acres (8094 m²) for £10. The National Trust has been purchasing land as it becomes available for over a century. As of 2005 the reserve is over 5.46 square kilometres. In 2001 a major acquisition was made with the purchase of Burwell Fen Farm (1.65 km²). The National Trust proposes to continue this process and acquire up to 37 km² of farmland to the south of Wicken Fen over the next 100 years, thus extending the wetland.Science
The Fen has been long associated with natural history. Charles Darwin collected beetles on the Fen in the 1820s, and from the 1920s onwards the fathers of modern ecology and conservation, the Cambridge botanists Sir Harry Godwin and Sir Arthur Tansley carried out their pioneering work on the reserve. One of the world's longest running science experiments, the Godwin Plots, continues at the Fen to this day. The Fen’s long association with science, especially nearby Cambridge University, continues to the present day with scientists actively involved in the management of the reserve, and many thousands of research papers published about the fen over more than a century.Facilities
The Fen is open to the public. The site is open all year round from dawn to dusk except for Christmas Day. Some paths are closed in very wet weather, and some areas are inaccessible. There are hides and trails for visitors to follow. There is a visitor centre and café. The visitor centre has a permanent exhibition of information about Wicken Fen, its history and ecological importance.References
- Friday, L.E., ed. (1997). Wicken Fen: the making of a wetland nature reserve. Harley Books, Colchester.
- Friday, L.E., Harley, B. (2000). Checklist of the Flora and Fauna of Wicken Fen. Harley Books, Colchester.
External links
- Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve information at the National Trust
- Wicken Fen website
- DEFRA page on enlarging the reserve
Cambridgeshire | National Nature Reserves in England | National Trust properties in England | Ramsar sites in England | Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Cambridgeshire | Special Protection Areas in England
"Wicken Fen"