Congratulations to Fen Group client in prestigious CIEEM awards

Fen Group are delighted that one of the projects we worked on has been Highly Commended at the recent Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management awards ceremony. The Great Fen Project, one of the largest restoration projects of its type in Europe, was recognised for the prestigious Best Practice Award for Large-Scale Nature Conservation, which marks the highest standards of ecological and environmental management practice. Fen Group worked on the Great Fen Project for several years, creating open water and reedbed and re-profiling dykes, ditches and drains, as part of a fifty year vision which will create around 3,700 hectares of wetland area between Peterborough and Huntingdon.

Our work on the project started in Summer 2013 supporting the creation of Rymes Reedbed. Fen Group excavated the area, creating parts for future meres, ponds and swampy areas, replacing existing agricultural ditches with 3km of channels linking to a new area of open water and marsh, and installing water control structures to manage water levels, many of which were bespoke and manufactured by us.

In 2014 Fen Group were delighted to be contracted again to work on an adjacent area, Kesters Docking. This was the second large-scale wetland creation for the Great Fen Project, two to three meters below sea level. Following successful completion of the groundwork and installation of the water control structures it was slowly re-wetted allowing time for peat and soils to develop structure.

Having been involved in these key elements of the Great Fen Project everyone at Fen Group is pleased to hear that its high achievements, vision and excellent practice has been recognised in this way. Our congratulations go to all the staff, volunteers and organisations that are working on this ambitious project to benefit both wildlife and people.