I'm off out for the evening.
I'm looking forward to a do in Ely at which we will be launching our vision for the Fens. The RSPB Fens project is part of our Futurescapes programme. At the beginning of March we launched Stepping Up for Nature – our biggest campaign yet - and Futurescapes is a key part of how we, with so many others, are Stepping Up.
The start of our campaign focussed on the Fens, a place that both reveals the massive historic losses and highlights the scale of the challenge we face to save nature and begin to restore a countryside rich in wildlife cherished for future generations.
The Fens once extended to 3,000 square km – now only 3% remains. The remaining fragments are amongst our richest places for wildlife in the country (and there is real scope to expand the best bits for wildlife).
The fragments of wildlife habitat that remain are home to the bulk of the UK's breeding black-tailed godwits and a treasure trove of botany, bugs and beauty that must have a secure future.
But beyond the special bits is a farmed landscape of huge importance to us all – over half the UKs' Grade 1 agricultural land is found in the Fens, and that has it's own cast of wildlife corn buntings jangle their songs from high perches, tree sparrows quarrel and yellow wagtails (pictured) will soon be enlivening the landscape as they return from Africa.
Our Futurescapes project in the Fens focuses on putting wetlands back, joining the jigsaw of nature and working with farmers to help integrate the needs of wildlife with those of their business.
Farmland wildlife needs farmers – and as part of this project we will help farmers access financial support from agri-environment schemes to be able to get on with nature-friendly farm management.
Time for a reality check? How does that work when the perception is often one where conservation and farming are portrayed at loggerheads? Here's Farmers Weekly covering our launch.
Our current Fenland Farmland Bird Recovery Project, set up jointly with Natural England, is working with more that 80 farmers who are stepping up for nature across the Fens – we want to work with many more.
Lode Hall Farm in Wisbech is proof of the benefits of agri-environment schemes for both people and wildlife. Dick Johnson, farm manager at Lode Hall Farm said: “Until recently cropping was a combination of herbs for essential oils and cereals managed by contractors. Then we started working with the RSPB to make the Higher Level scheme work for the farm. We now manage a wide range of options to benefit farmland birds and wildlife. The site has already attracted breeding corn buntings and grey partridge and tree sparrow have also been recorded on the site for the first time.”
Farmers in the Fens are already showing real leadership and between us we've already built firm foundations to extend and deepen our partnership with people who can make a real difference for the future of this special area.
There is a wide variety of ways to get involved in the Fens Futurescape project whether you are a farmer, landowner, conservation organisation or an enthusiastic volunteer. Potential partners who have a commitment to making the Fens a better place for people and wildlife can contact Simon Tonkin on 01603 660066 or email simon.tonkin@rspb.org.uk for more information.
More tomorrow, after my evening out.