A Natural Future For

A Natural Future forCambridgeshire andPeterborough

Cambourne Wildlife Trust BCNA Natural Future forCambridgeshire and PeterboroughNatural Cambridgeshire is the Local Nature Partnershipfor Cambridgeshire and Peterborough which bringstogether the interests of business, land management,health and government in improving our naturalenvironment. Here is our vision for a future rich inwildlife where we live, work and play.Where nature thrives, it provides us with clean water, fertileand healthy soils, natural flood control, greater biodiversity,natural pollinators and much more. Also, places withaccessible, wildlife rich greenspaces attract more people towork and live there, improve health and wellbeing and provideleisure and recreation opportunities.Our vision values the wildlife we have now and thetremendous opportunities presented to build a richer naturalenvironment with benefits for everyone. Working together, wehave the means to create that future.nm entiroTen rearWicken Fen Roger MitchellouNaens to valusotur al e nvDespite losses, nature is returning and there are wonderfulwildlife sights in Cambridgeshire. see the ‘Ten reasons tovalue our natural environment’ throughout this booklet.putting nature at the heart3

Thorpe wood Coral Waltonr4nm entiroouNaeTen reaSpring-time displaysof oxlips and bluebellsin our woodlands, andrarities like the blackhairstreak and purpleemperor butterflies sons to valutur al e nvputting nature at the heart

Ouse washes RSPBounm enteTen reans to valusoriroSome 10,000 wild Bewick’s andNavtuenwhooper swans and thousands of duck r a lmigrate to the Ouse Washes for winterNature nowThe best places for wildlife areconfined to a scatter of sites acrossthe County. As a proportion of overallland area, the amount of rich wildlifehabitats in Cambridgeshire andPeterborough is one of the smallestin England.Only 4.8% of landin Cambridgeshireand Peterboroughis ‘rich wildlifehabitat’Reversing the continued decline inEngland’s wildlife requires actionfrom 1990YEAR20002010– Farmland birds (19) – Seabirds (11)– Woodland birds (34) – Wetland birds (26)England Wild Bird Indicator, by habitat from 1970 to 2014putting nature at the heart0199019952000YEAR20052010– Widespread butterflies of farmland (21)– Widespread butterflies of woodland (23)Source: State of Nature 2016: England.160Index (1990) 100Index (1970) 100English biodiversity indicatorsIndicator of widespread butterflies of farmland and woodland inEngland from 1990 to 20135

rNanm e nttur al e nvCambridgeshire’s landscapesCambridgeshire’s landscape consists of a rolling lowland plateau ofchalk, clay and small areas of greensand and limestone, dissectedby the valleys of the Cam, Great Ouse and Nene, which run out intothe flat expanses of peat and silt soils of the Fenland lySohamHuntingdonSt reensand6iroouColourful arable wildflowers such as cornflower andlong-headed poppy are still found in CambridgeshireeTen reans to valusoputting nature at the heart

Clay soilsCambridgeshire has a cluster of ancient woodlands on the clay soilswhich, with the historic parklands, are important wildlife sites.However, many of these sites exist in isolation so there are limitedopportunities for wildlife to move across the landscape to establishlarger or new populations. Along the river valleys, huge new wetlandnature reserves are being created as large scale gravel extraction iscompleted.Vision: Woodland management leads to more and richer wildlifeDaubenton’sbat Bat, dormice, amphibian and reptile populations areexpanding Flower-rich field margins, lanes and hedgerows help wildlifemove acros the landscape and colonise new areas In the river valleys, restored meadows play a vital part inPurpleemperormanaging flood and water quality, and colour the landscapewith their flowers New reed beds and lakes have matured and hold largenumbers of bittern, bearded reedling and marsh harrierOxlip7

ChalkThe open, rolling chalk landscape is important for agriculture and foraquifers that provide essential water supplies to springs, streams,ponds and fens. The rich wildlife sites tend to be small and isolated,often found alongside important archaeological heritage or on roadverges.Vision:Chalkhillblue Flower-rich grasslands that protect watersupplies and our spring-fed habitats Chalk streams are in a healthy state, their clean, flowingwaters support native crayfish, trout and breeding lamprey Corn bunting and the rare stone curlew are returning to thearable fieldsTwaybladeCornbunting8

FensBefore being drained, the Fens were the largest wetland in northernEurope and are now England’s most important agricultural area. Onlyvery small pockets of original fen remain, but the wildlife in those isoutstanding. The farmed land is interlaced with drainage channels,many rich with wildlife as well as providing a passage for nature tomove within the farmed landscape. The peat has also preserved anexceptionally interesting and important archaeological record.Vision: New and expanded areas of reed and wet grassland supporthealthy populations of crane, egret, bittern, marsh harriers,snipe, black-tailed godwit and wildfowl The rivers and the many watercourses and their margins arehome to a rich variety of plants, mammals, fish andinvertebrates, such as the rare fen violet, otter, water vole,spined loach, compressed mussel and tansy beetleCompressedmussel Risks posed by invasive species such as mink and floatingpenny-wort are controlled Large areas of farmland are managed in new ways topreserve the remaining peat soils and enable space forhealthy populations of wildlife within a sustainably farmedlandscapeTansybeetleMarsh harrier9

LimestoneWest of Peterborough are the woodlands and grasslands thatinspired the poet John Clare. Once part of the extensive RockinghamForest, this remains a rich natural landscape.Vision: A network of flower-rich limestone grasslandsPyramidalorchid The fragments of meadow, woodland, wetlandand old limestone workings have been extendedand linked Pyramidal orchids, clustered bellflowers,common lizard and green tiger beetle, allloved by the poet, have a place to callhome, long into the futureMeadowcrane’sbillCommonlizard10

Homes and GardensGreen spaces and mature gardens in our towns and villages arealready providing homes for wildlife. Using simple, easy methods,new housing and work place developments can provide even morespaces for plants and animals, enriching our built environment andquality of life.PeacockbutterflyVision: Everyone enjoying birds and their songsnear their home and work placeCommonfrog Children excited to discover frogs, toads, newts andhedgehogs where they live and play Summer skies enlivened by swifts, house martins and batsthat share our homes In winter, murmurations of starlings sweep over ourcountryside, towns and villagesHousemartin11

Snakes head fritillary at Portholme meadow Pat DoodySnakes head fritillary flowers andthe rare scarce chaser dragonflyare found at Portholme, England’slargest flood meadowr12nm entiroouNaeTen reans to valusotur al e nvputting nature at the heart

Spined loach www.arkive.orgrNanm enttur al e nvCase StudiesLandscape scale – The Great FenThe Great Fen is a 50-year project to link two National NatureReserves, creating a huge wetland across 3,700 hectares. In one ofthe largest restoration projects of its kind in Europe, the landscape ofthe Fens between Peterborough and Huntingdon is being transformedfor the benefit for both wildlife and people. This partnership project willprovide a fenland wildlife haven, as well as new solutions to managingwater, tourism opportunities and diversification of local businesses.Green infrastructure in the CambridgeSouthern FringeThe housing projects at Trumpington Meadows and Great Kneightonon the southern fringe of Cambridge were planned jointly by the localcouncils. Working to an agreed framework, developers are creatingnew neighbourhoods with 4,000 new homes, community facilities andstrategic green infrastructure. The green spaces were designed to linkthe existing green corridors through Cambridge to the countrysidebeyond. The natural green spaces include large areas of new wildlifehabitats appropriate to the local landscape, and include TrumpingtonMeadows, which will be managed in perpetuity by the Wildlife Trust forwildlife and people.putting nature at the heartiroouWater-vole, otter and rare aquatic plants, fish and musselshave their stronghold in the waterways across the FenseTen reans to valuso13

Bittern M J Hammet/Natural Englandtr14nm entiroouNaeTen reaWith 13,500 different species of plants and animalsand 25% of the country’s rarest wildlife, The Fensns to valusoare one of Britain’s best areas for naturetur al e nvputting nature at the heart

Fringed waterlillies Roger MitchellrNanm enttur al e nvCase StudiesFarming and wildlife – Thorney Farmland Bird ProjectFarmers working together across some 4,000 ha of arable landsurrounding the village of Thorney, north of the River Nene, arecreating a richer environment for wildlife. This is helping to restore andincrease populations of farmland birds in Cambridgeshire includinggrey partridge, turtle dove, lapwing and corn bunting alongsidesuccessful farming businesses. As a model of good practice, this isencouraging farmers to work together in a similar way in other areas.Minerals restoration at Ouse FenThe RSPB is working with Hanson and Cambridgeshire CountyCouncil on a ground-breaking 30-year partnership project, whichbegan in 2001, to create a vast nature reserve in the aftermath ofgravel extraction. When complete, Ouse Fen nature reserve will cover700 ha, including Britain’s largest reedbed, a rare and extremelyvaluable habitat for wildlife. As well as helping restore wildlife such asbittern, bearded reedling, marsh harrier, otter and water vole, theproject will create great opportunities for local people to enjoy thenatural world with the proven health and wellbeing benefits thisprovides.putting nature at the heartiroouTrout, bream and fringed waterlilies flourish in our chalk streamseTen reans to valuso15

Great crested newt Chris Dresh,ARCr16nm entiroouNaeTen reaEurope’s largestpopulation of greatcrested newts have theirhome in former brickclay quarries nearns to valusoPeterboroughtur al e nvputting nature at the heart

Crane RSPBPolecat, crane, bittern, buzzard, little egret and red kiteare just some of the species recently returned toCambridgeshire. Others like the great white egret,wasp spider, great green bush and long-wingedcone-head crickets, and small red-eyed damselfly aremoving in as the climate warms. Given the chance,wildlife can spread to new areas and, with other plantsand animals returning, we can have more and richerwildlife in our countryside. Lapwing, corn bunting andcommon lizard could become more abundant. Also, ifwe provide the space and opportunity, the swallowtailand large copper butterfly, Norfolk hawker dragonfly,pool frog and burbot might return to the numbers thatused to occur in Cambridgeshire.Swallowtailbutterflyputting nature at the heart17irorIncreasing numbers of marsh harriers,Natur al e nvbooming bittern, other waterbirds anddragonfly thrive in the vast reedbeds andopen water created after gravel extraction inour river valleysNature on the way backWaspspidernm entTen reaouBuzzardens to valuso