Wildlife Trust BCN responds to deluge - and looks ahead to wet farming future
Amy Gerhard, of the Wildlife Trust Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, discusses the team’s response to the extraordinary downpours and looks ahead to the future of farming.
Two months’ worth of rain in a few days…
After two months’ worth of rain fell in just a few days recently, reserves across our three counties have been affected by the high levels of rainwater and have required additional management.
Our reserves staff have been busy ensuring livestock are safe and dealing with footbridges and fencing, which were swept away in floods.
Godmanchester nature reserve is still inaccessible due to a large amount of standing water. Waters are receding now but visitors are being urged to take care where the ground is saturated - and chalk slopes are particularly treacherous for walkers.
Matt Jackson, conservation director, said: “Our reserves staff are very busy dealing with the impact of what has been a deluge across our region.
“Even if there is no obvious flooding, please be aware that the ground in many areas is saturated. If you are going for a walk, then make sure you are wearing suitable footwear and please keep to paths.
“Extreme weather events are becoming more common and climate change has made matters worse. It is vital that we manage our countryside so that it is resilient to the changing weather patterns to protect nature and public access.”
The future of farming is wet…
Teams have been exploring the use of paludiculture - or wet farming - at the Great Fen in Cambridgeshire for a while now. Paludiculture can help us fight climate change, by preventing the loss of carbon, alongside supporting wildlife and cleaning water.
It also enables new sources of crops to be developed, such as bulrush - or typha latifolia. Working with sustainable clothing company SaltyCo, the Wildlife Trust BCN is involved in the growth of this important paludiculture crop at the Fens, with the aim of using the harvested materials in the production of ‘BioPuff’, a plant-based, insulating alternative to goose down or synthetic fillers.
But it’s not just the fluff from the seed heads that has a commercial value. Staff members from the Wildlife Trust BCN and the Sustainability Research Institute visited the Great Fen last month to harvest a small area of bulrush.
Georgemma Hunt, a PhD researcher working on sustainable textiles, was also present and reports: “Over the course of the day, we harvested 160kg wet typha leaves and stalks, which I will be using as a fibre within the sampling and testing of biobased construction materials throughout the next year, until we can harvest more.
“A swathe of typha was harvested through the middle of the bed, which means that next year we will be able to see what effect this has on seedhead development and overall crop yield, compared to the unharvested areas on either side. Because we were only harvesting a small area, we employed a blend of machinery and hand processes - using brush cutters initially to cut the plants, before collecting and bundling the vegetation by hand.”
But harvesting crops like these by hand is a hard, time-consuming job, so how can we utilise the latest technology to make things easier?
We have recently received funding from the Co-op Foundation's Carbon Innovation Fund to trial the use of drones when harvesting bulrush.
Aleks Kowalski, project director of Drone RePeat, said: “We’re really looking forward to partnering with the trust to help show farmers how they can farm in the Fens in a way that protects nature and the climate, and still make a profit, and to showcase the role drones can play in fighting climate change.”
“Using drones instead of farm machinery on any soil type reduces soil compaction, diesel contamination, saves time and is much safer for the farm workers. The additional challenge for landowners cultivating or restoring peatland is due to its bogging and inaccessible nature. Here, drones can access land that heavy farm machinery cannot.”
Our Christmas Fair is back again at the Manor House
Come and enjoy a festive afternoon with us at our Manor House HQ in Cambourne on Friday 29 November.
Why not sip on a glass of festive mulled wine, enjoy a delicious mince pie, and browse our fabulous array of Christmas gifts and activities? Among the stalls you will find amazing wildlife art, drawings, paintings and prints, handmade jewellery, hand crafted ceramics and wooden gifts, Christmas cards, calendars and books.
There will be activities available for children, the ever-popular raffle, and a whole lot more to discover and explore.
Entry to the fair is free - just remember to bring some spending money for gifts! And we would be incredibly grateful for any donations gifted to us during the event.
You can find more details online at www.wildlifebcn.org/events.
We look forward to seeing many of you there!