Cambridgeshire ACRE’s visionary habitat enhancement project -New Life On the Old West (NLOW) – attempts to help wildlife move freely between two internationally-significant wetland conservation areas: Wicken Fen Nature Reserve and RSPB Ouse Fen Nature Reserve. The project has been undertaking habitat improvements to create enhanced corridors and stepping stones around the (mostly) unmodified section of the River Great Ouse (between Earith and Little Thetford), known as “The Old West”.
The vision is to achieve a more resilient fenland landscape by increasing habitat connectivity across the largely arable landscape, whilst connecting local people with their natural heritage and green space assets into the bargain.
Over the last three years, the NLOW project team has collaborated with farmers, community groups and the nine parish councils in its area, to carry out 95 different habitat improvements, ranging from large pond complexes, to the shelfing of ditches (berms), to simple changes in cutting regimes to encourage the growth of wildflowers.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has now granted an extension of the timeframe for completion of work and so project officers Karen MacKelvie and Tate Oulton will carry the baton for the next two years, completing some of the remaining ground works and continuing to support a vibrant group of ‘nature volunteers’ in collecting data on biodiversity changes. They’ll also be ensuring the continued success of improved areas by supporting landowners with their management plans and offering advice to community groups who are interested in improving the fortunes of local nature where they are.
And as the project swings into its final phase, Karen and Tate will be turning their attention to how people relate to their landscape…whether they know their Yarrow from their Fennel and does it really matter if an otter can move from one side of the project area to another?
Recently they have delivered their “Tea Tiles” session in the warm welcome of the community hubs at Haddenham and Willingham – a chance for the team to talk about their project as well as having a yarn about local plants, whilst making a little coaster in clay. “I’m not in any ways artistic” said one gentleman participant, as he sat down to make a beauty of a piece.
And with Karen encountering an otter, sadly hit by a car on the road, on her way to Willingham community hub, she’s keener than ever to start the “We Otter Connect” project – which will challenge schools and groups to chart a safe passage for an otter to trot or swim from one side of ‘their’ localised site map, to the other, with a golden ticket invite to a celebration of connection event at the end of the year.
The team are also setting up more “Open for Nature” days this summer, where communities will be encouraged to come out to their local green space to learn more about nature, and lots of informative talks and walks to deepen and expand people’s knowledge of the natural world around them. Keep an eye on the NLOW website and social media pages (@newlifeoldwest) for details.
Finally, a reminder that Community Hubs operate across East Cambridgeshire, Fenland and South Cambridgeshire providing volunteer-led spaces for local people to come together for warmth, companionship and mutual support. Find your nearest Community Hub.
