Fens for the Future 23 rd September 2019 Kate Carver Great Fen - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Fens for the Future 23 rd September 2019 Kate Carver Great Fen Project Manager

• March 2019 awarded £1,000,000 by people’s Postcode Lottery Dream Fund - Sustainable Systems Funding Stream - Project called Water Works • Project runs 1 st April 2019 – 31 st March 2021

The problem definition of the problem 1,800 Olympic swimming pools of peat is lost each year due to farming – this loss is unsustainable 33% of CO2 emitted by farming in the UK comes from lowland peat soil

Our Dream is to change the face of farming now and in the future and transform how people work together within a Fens Biosphere

A Dream partnership

From this to this…… …and some of this Wet Farming - Paludiculture Field scale trails of crops for food, industry and bio medical use. First time in UK

Location of Engine Farm in Great Fen Water Works Field scale trials of wet farming

Building Sustainability and Resilience • A new system to replace pumped drainage? • Protects wetlands and wildlife • Creates sustainable new livelihoods • Protects peat soils • Prevents carbon loss • Cleans water • Protects us from flooding.

Main crops Science slide Typha latifolia Phragmites australis Sphagnum palustre Glyceria fluitans Applications…..

Novel food/flavouring/bio-medical Species to include Food Water Cress Wild Celery Cloud Berry Bilberry Water mint Flavouring Meadowsweet Bog Myrtle Bio-medical Comfrey Gypsywort Lady’s Smock Yellow Flag Hemp Agrimony

Experimental crops • 2m wide compartment bund • 1m wide irrigation canal • 5m wide growing strip • 10m long strip

Monitoring • Gas flux, water balance, temperature – gas exchange chambers • Water quality into and through plot – data loggers and YSI meter (dissolved oxygen and chemical analysis) • Wildlife usage – birds, insects, mammals • Crop grow/potential yield • Weed burdens and other issues

Communicating our vision is key to this project – • We will need to challenge and change perceptions of farmers, growers, landowners • We want commercial partners/buy – in and early adopters from local farming community • We aim eventually for generational change – the ripple effect

A UNESCO Fens Biosphere is the other element of our Dream Fund bid – transforming how people work together to achieve sustainable development through a UNESCO Fens Biosphere a global accolade and recognitions of sustainable development.

The link between the two elements of our dream is the PEAT – the declining peat resource largely defines the extent of the Biosphere.

Worldwide network 686 biospheres in 122 countries Biosphere – a special place for nature and people – working together Biosphere – a special place for nature and people – delivering Nature conservation Socio- Economic development Sharing knowledge Nature Conservation Socio-economic development Sharing knowledge

Impacts & Legacy

Cambridgeshire Fens – UNESCO Biosphere All sectors working together for sustainability – nature conservation; sustainable socio-economic development; developing and sharing knowledge, learning and awareness Biosphere status enables us to draw it all together, unifying around a big idea that benefits everyone. It will enable us to grow towards a sustainable future together.

Through UNESCO Biosphere Designation we will tell the world about Water Works – a Dream Fund project of global standing and worth

Website: Promoting our Dream Fund project for maximum https://fenlandbiosphere.wordpress.com/ (May publicity 2019) Fens Magazine August 2019 We will appear on national media – TV & radio broadcast, digital, on line and in print, and on social media; Twitter, Facebook & Instagram.

Promoting our Dream and the People’s Postcode Lottery We will thank the PPL Dream Fund for We will showcase the Dream Fund in East Anglia its support on all our through exciting public events thanking PPL players publicity (and together building a Dream landscape in Lego!)

We will continue to involve our patrons and supporters HRH The Prince of Wales has just renewed his Royal Patronage of the Great Fen. Photo: Lee Searle

• Highest priority land for Speechley’s Farm acquisition - 134 ha - peat Any questions? • Connects Holme Fen NNR to Woodwalton Fen NNR • Restoration over 5 years • Create 100ha new wetland at Speechley’s • Improve quality of wetland Darlow’s Farm and Middle Farm by improving water balance • Provide clean water for WWF – improve condition • Wet farming to next stage

Great Fen