Fen to go back to nature


2 May 2000



Fen to go back to nature

FOURTEEN square miles of prime farmland could be turned into a flooded wilderness under an ambitious project planned by the National Trust.

This would secure the survival of hundreds of species of plants and animals by turning intensively cultivated fenland into a vast wetland nature reserve, reports The Guardian.

The trust plans to flood land around Wicken Fen – the countrys oldest national nature reserve – and extend reedbeds and grazing marshes to the outskirts of Cambridge.

Habitat creation has never been attempted on such a scale in England before, claims the trust.

It predicts the project could take 100 years to complete to avoid alienating landowners.

But first the scheme must be confirmed by the trusts executive, which will consider the issue when it meets in June.

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