Redgrave and Lopham Fens is a 127 hectare biological

Site of Special Scientific Interest A Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Great Britain, or an Area of Special Scientific Interest (ASSI) in the Isle of Man and Northern Ireland, is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom and Isle ...

between

Thelnetham Thelnetham is a village and civil parish in the West Suffolk district of Suffolk in eastern England. Located on the southern bank of the River Little Ouse (the Norfolk-Suffolk border), six miles west of Diss, in 2005 its population was 230. Th ...

Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...

and Diss in

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

. England. It is a national nature reserve, a Ramsar internationally important wetland site, a

Nature Conservation Review ''A Nature Conservation Review'' is a two-volume work by Derek Ratcliffe, published by Cambridge University Press in 1977. It set out to identify the most important places for nature conservation in Great Britain. It is often known by the initi ...

site, Grade I, and part of the Waveney and Little Ouse Valley Fens

Special Area of Conservation A special area of conservation (SAC) is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), also known as the ''Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora''. They are to protect the 220 habitats and ap ...

. It is managed by the

Suffolk Wildlife Trust Suffolk Wildlife Trust (SWT) describes itself as the county's "nature charity – the only organisation dedicated wholly to safeguarding Suffolk's wildlife and countryside." It is a registered charity, and its headquarters is at Brooke House i ...

. It is the largest remaining area of river valley

fen A fen is a type of peat-accumulating wetland fed by mineral-rich ground or surface water. It is one of the main types of wetland along with marshes, swamps, and bogs. Bogs and fens, both peat-forming ecosystems, are also known as mires ...

in England and consists of a number of different fen types, including saw-sedge beds, as well as having areas of open water,

heathland A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and is characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a coole ...

, scrub and woodland. It is also one of only three sites in the UK where the fen raft spider (''

Dolomedes plantarius The great raft spider or fen raft spider (''Dolomedes plantarius'') is a European species of spider in the family Dolomedidae. Like other ''Dolomedes'' spiders, it is semiaquatic, hunting its prey on the surface of water. It occurs mainly in neut ...

'') is known to be found.

Ecology

The habitats present at Redgrave and Lopham are characteristic of areas of valley mire. This ecosystem creates a zonation of vegetation types, producing a diverse range of habitat. Dry marginal woodland becomes fen grassland, dominated by

purple moor-grass ''Molinia caerulea'', known by the common name purple moor-grass, is a species of Poaceae, grass that is native plant, native to Europe, west Asia, and north Africa. It grows in locations from the lowlands up to in the Alps. Like most grasses, i ...

, which grades into mixed fenland of reed and sedge beds. This grassland is particularly notable at Redgrave and Lopham for its areas of saw sedge (''

Cladium mariscus ''Cladium mariscus'' is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family known by the common names swamp sawgrass, great fen-sedge, saw-sedge or sawtooth sedge. Previously it was known as elk sedge. It is native of temperate Europe and Asia wher ...

''). Into these areas of fenland protrude sandy ridges covered in

heath A heath () is a shrubland habitat found mainly on free-draining infertile, acidic soils and is characterised by open, low-growing woody vegetation. Moorland is generally related to high-ground heaths with—especially in Great Britain—a coole ...

vegetation. Without management these communities become invaded by

sallow Willows, also called sallows and osiers, of the genus ''Salix'', comprise around 350 species (plus numerous hybrids) of typically deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions. Most species are known ...

and develop into

scrubland Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominance (ecology), dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbaceous plant, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally o ...

. To maintain site diversity, this has been allowed to occur in some areas of the fen. These habitats maintain a community of plants and animals, with the site being particularly known for its diversity of

invertebrate Invertebrates are animals that neither develop nor retain a vertebral column (commonly known as a ''spine'' or ''backbone''), which evolved from the notochord. It is a paraphyletic grouping including all animals excluding the chordata, chordate s ...

species. Surveys have identified nineteen species of

dragonfly A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threat ...

and 27 species of

butterfly Butterflies are winged insects from the lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea, characterized by large, often brightly coloured wings that often fold together when at rest, and a conspicuous, fluttering flight. The oldest butterfly fossi ...

at the fen, which has also long been recognised for its nationally important population of the fen raft spider (''

''). Further surveys have also found 26 species of mammals, including

otter Otters are carnivorous mammals in the subfamily Lutrinae. The 13 extant otter species are all semiaquatic, aquatic, or marine. Lutrinae is a branch of the Mustelidae family, which includes weasels, badgers, mink, and wolverines, among ...

pipistrelle bats ''Pipistrellus'' is a genus of bats in the family Vespertilionidae and subfamily Vespertilioninae. The name of the genus is derived from the Italian word , meaning "bat" (from Latin "bird of evening, bat"). The size of the genus has been consi ...

and introduced species such as the

Chinese water deer The water deer (''Hydropotes inermis'') is a small deer species native to Korea and China. Its prominent tusks, similar to those of musk deer, have led to both subspecies being colloquially named vampire deer in English-speaking areas to which t ...

. The site has also recorded 4 species of amphibian and 4 species of reptile and a 2006 survey recorded 96 species of bird visiting the fen.

Management

To maintain and improve the diversity of species and quality of habitat at the site continual management is required. Suffolk Wildlife Trust employs a Site Manager and Assistant Warden to run and monitor the site but also relies on volunteers to carry out management work. Such work includes rush mowing, sedge harvesting, scrub clearance,

coppicing Coppicing is the traditional method in woodland management of cutting down a tree to a tree stump, stump, which in many species encourages new Shoot (botany), shoots to grow from the stump or roots, thus ultimately regrowing the tree. A forest ...

and fence construction. The site has also introduced a successful grazing regime to reduce the cost incurred from mowing such a large area of fen. It actively manages the fen raft spider population.

Grazing

The site uses sheep, cattle and ponies as part of its management strategy. This has visibly benefited the fen structure and means only the larger saw sedge beds are now on a manual cutting rotation. The use of grazing has led to the emergence of a greater mosaic of vegetation and habitat types within the fen and has inhibited the expansion of scrub.

Hebridean sheep The Hebridean is a breed of small black sheep from Scotland, similar to other members of the Northern European short-tailed sheep group, having a short, triangular tail. They often have two pairs of horn (anatomy), horns. They were formerly know ...

owned by the trust and beef cattle from local farms graze on the dryer areas of scrub, heath and fen margins and help prevent the expansion of scrub. In 1995 the reserve introduced a herd of Polish

Konik The Konik or Polish Konik, , is a Polish list of horse breeds, breed of small horse or pony. There are semi-feral populations in some regions. They are usually dun gene, mouse dun or primitive markings, striped dun. The Bilgoray, , of south-e ...

ponies to graze the wetter areas of the fen. They were chosen over native breeds for their hardiness and ability to graze in very wet conditions. The success of the Konik ponies has led to their use for grazing in other nature reserves in the UK and on

the Broads The Broads (known for marketing purposes as The Broads National Park) is a network of mostly navigable rivers and lakes in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. Although the terms "Norfolk Broads" and "Suffolk Broads" are correctly used ...

. The cattle and Konik are usually kept on the fen between April and December which avoids the wettest and most barren months of the year.

Fen raft spider

Redgrave and Lopham Fens was the first site in the UK at which a population of the

fen raft spider The great raft spider or fen raft spider (''Dolomedes plantarius'') is a European species of spider in the family Dolomedidae. Like other ''Dolomedes'' spiders, it is semiaquatic, hunting its prey on the surface of water. It occurs mainly in neut ...

(''Dolomedes plantarius'') was recorded. Following their discovery in 1956 a number of new pools were dug to encourage population expansion. However, water extraction from the borehole and a series of droughts in the 1980s reduced the population to only two isolated areas on the reserve. Throughout this period irrigation of the pools inhabited by the spider enabled the continuation of the population. The removal of the borehole in 1999 was expected to trigger an increase in population as water levels returned to normal. However, a study carried out in 2006 showed that no noticeable change had occurred. The population of the fen raft spider remains small and restricted in distribution. Recommendations for future management of the population include increasing the depths of turf pool, creating more pool habitats and greater, more focused use of water management in the reserve.

Access and facilities

The reserve is open to the public all year round. It has an Education Centre which it uses to host family activity days, school trips and adult education courses. There is a picnic area and toilet facilities. It has three dedicated nature trails of 2, 3 and 4.5 km lengths, some of which are accessible by wheelchair. . .

History

Pre-1959

Redgrave and Lopham Fens lies at the headwaters of the

Waveney Waveney may refer to: * River Waveney, a river that forms the boundary between Suffolk and Norfolk, England * Waveney District, a local government district in Suffolk, England * Waveney (UK Parliament constituency) * Waveney class lifeboat, a class ...

and Little Ouse rivers and had for centuries provided natural resources for the local population. This activity created and maintained the various habitats of the fen. The cutting of

peat Peat is an accumulation of partially Decomposition, decayed vegetation or organic matter. It is unique to natural areas called peatlands, bogs, mires, Moorland, moors, or muskegs. ''Sphagnum'' moss, also called peat moss, is one of the most ...

for fuel lead to the creation of open pools edged in

reedbeds A reedbed or reed bed is a natural habitat found in floodplains, waterlogged depressions and estuaries. Reedbeds are part of a succession from young reeds colonising open water or wet ground through a gradation of increasingly dry ground. As ...

and the pathways between them became species-rich fen meadows.

Sedge The Cyperaceae () are a family of graminoid (grass-like), monocotyledonous flowering plants known as wikt:sedge, sedges. The family (biology), family is large; botanists have species description, described some 5,500 known species in about 90 ...

and

reed Reed or Reeds may refer to: Science, technology, biology, and medicine * Reed bird (disambiguation) * Reed pen, writing implement in use since ancient times * Reed (plant), one of several tall, grass-like wetland plants of the order Poales * Re ...

were cut for thatching,

furze ''Ulex'' (commonly known as gorse, furze, or whin) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. The genus comprises about 20 species of thorny evergreen shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the pea family Fabaceae. The species are na ...

and other vegetation was removed for livestock bedding and firewood. Cattle and other livestock were also grazed on the meadow, heath and other marginal land around the fens. This removed any invading species, prevented

ecological succession Ecological succession is the process of how species compositions change in an Community (ecology), ecological community over time. The two main categories of ecological succession are primary succession and secondary succession. Primary successi ...

from occurring and preserved the diversity of the fenland. However, with the industrialisation of farming and the wider use of fossil fuels the traditional use and management of the fen began to decline. In 1954 Redgrave and Lopham Fens was given the status as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the nationally important presence of the fen raft spider and the diversity of its fenland.

1959-1991

In 1959 a

borehole A borehole is a narrow shaft bored in the ground, either vertically or horizontally. A borehole may be constructed for many different purposes, including the extraction of water ( drilled water well and tube well), other liquids (such as petr ...

was drilled at the fen to provide drinking water for the local population, with a capacity to take 3,600m³ of water every day from the underlying

aquifer An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing material, consisting of permeability (Earth sciences), permeable or fractured rock, or of unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, or silt). Aquifers vary greatly in their characteristics. The s ...

. This diverted water from the springs that fed the fen and the water table began to fall. This led to a change in the fen's

hydrology Hydrology () is the scientific study of the movement, distribution, and management of water on Earth and other planets, including the water cycle, water resources, and drainage basin sustainability. A practitioner of hydrology is called a hydro ...

in the early 1960s as it went from a year-round water supply to alternating summer drought and winter floods. With a net loss of water this caused the fen to begin to dry out. The loss of water and lack of management led to the degradation of the fen, and scrub began to invade large areas. In 1961 the Suffolk Wildlife Trust gained control of the site but insufficient resources meant the large scale work they wished to carry out to return it to its previous state could not be achieved; the condition of the overall fen continued to decline.

1991-present

In the early 1990s Redgrave and Lopham Fens gained wider recognition for its importance. Thus it was designated a

Ramsar site A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O) *** Permanent 8 ha (P) *** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts) **

Environment Agency The Environment Agency (EA) is a non-departmental public body, established in 1996 and sponsored by the United Kingdom government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with responsibilities relating to the protection and enha ...

undertook studies to determine the extent of damage to the fen and how restoration could best be carried out. This led to a large scale and internationally recognised restoration project, costing approximately £3.4 million.

Restoration project

The restoration of the reserve was split into three key areas: the relocation of the borehole, the restoration of the river and the restoration of the fen, with a budget of £2.2 million, £0.4 million and £0.8 million respectively. The

European Commission The European Commission (EC) is the primary Executive (government), executive arm of the European Union (EU). It operates as a cabinet government, with a number of European Commissioner, members of the Commission (directorial system, informall ...

funded 50% of this cost from the LIFE Fund.

Borehole relocation

In order to re-establish the original fen water regime it was recommended that the borehole removing water from the system be relocated and that the new borehole provide sufficient water without damaging the fenland. To fit these requirements a large search for a suitable site was carried out with many test sites drilled and tested. Eventually a site was located 3 km southeast of the reserve and planning and construction of the new borehole was carried out at a cost of £1.2 million. This was the first time a public water borehole was relocated on solely environmental grounds. The onsite borehole was shut down in July 1999 and within one month significant increases in water levels were recorded. By summer 2002 the maximum

groundwater recharge Groundwater recharge or deep drainage or deep percolation is a hydrologic process, where water moves downward from surface water to groundwater. Recharge is the primary method through which water enters an aquifer. This process usually occurs in ...

level was believed to have been reached and the hydrological recovery closely followed modeling predictions. This return to natural levels of water supply has helped solve many ecological problems, with peat soils and reed beds now having sufficient water throughout the year. The many old peat cuttings have also filled with water, creating small pools filled with vegetation at various stages of succession throughout the reserve.

River restoration

The reserve is divided by the River Waveney and the river can have a great impact on the fen ecology if mismanaged. The restoration project aimed to raise the water level within the river, restore the river ecology to its previous state and improve its habitats. To achieve this two fully adjustable

sluice gate A sluice ( ) is a water channel containing a sluice gate, a type of lock to manage the water flow and water level. There are various types of sluice gates, including flap sluice gates and fan gates. Different depths are calculated when design s ...

s were introduced to the river course. These would allow direct control of water levels within the fen and protect the site from flooding or drought events. The banks of the river were also reworked to create greater areas of marginal habitat and the shallow bank shelves that are of interest to wildlife such as water voles. The material removed from the bank was reformed to create flood defense

levees A levee ( or ), dike (American English), dyke (British English; see spelling differences), embankment, floodbank, or stop bank is an elevated ridge, natural or artificial, alongside the banks of a river, often intended to protect against fl ...

alongside the river.

Fen restoration

The third stage of the project was to recreate the conditions that would allow the most important fen communities to become re-established. This would involve a number of different tasks but mainly focused on scrub and tree clearance and peat stripping operations. Around 80 hectares of wood and scrub were identified for clearance, all of which has now been removed and has opened up land to be reclaimed by the fen habitat. Due to the lack of water over the years large areas of peat had degraded. To restore the fen to its previous state the decision was made to strip off the peat down to a level where it was undamaged and allow natural growth from that point. By 2002 around 250,000 tonnes of peat had been removed and a number of large pools surrounded by reed bed were created. Eventually the annual growth and dieback of the fen vegetation will restart the process of forming new peat.

Notes and references

{{SSSIs Suffolk Suffolk Wildlife Trust Special Areas of Conservation in England National nature reserves in England Nature Conservation Review sites Ramsar sites in England Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Suffolk Sites of Special Scientific Interest in Norfolk Nature reserves in Norfolk Nature reserves in Suffolk Fens of England Suffolk Broads