Fiskerton Fen
Parish: Fiskerton
OS: 272 • GR: TF 084718 • Map ref: 13
7.20 hectares (18.00acres) • Leasehold 2006
Habitat type: Wetland
Location and Access
The reserve is situated on the south side of the Fiskerton to South Ferry Road, approximately 3kms east of Fiskerton and 10kms east of Lincoln. There is a small car park.
Description and Management
The wet fenland landscape with open water and reedbed is a habitat that declined by as much as 99% in the last 300 years as rivers were tamed and wetlands drained. Now the habitat, and its special wildlife, is making a comeback with restoration projects like this one at Fiskerton.
The reserve was created with the help of European funding following the completion of flood defence works undertaken by the Environment Agency on the River Witham. The restoration of the area was planned by the Trust and Wild Planet Associates, working with the Environment Agency and the Lincolnshire Waterways Partnership. Created by clay extraction in 2002 to 2004, the site has been developed to benefit wildlife associated with fen and reedbeds. The lake is maintained by rainwater, allowing specialist wetland animals and plants to survive here. Most of the species will return naturally over time, but a helping hand has been given by planting clumps of common reed. The reed characterises the wet fenland habitat and many animals are adapted to the conditions the reeds create. The reeds themselves may be common and widespread but the reed dependent animals are often scarce and include some of our rarest species including the bittern and marsh harrier. Greater water parsnip, once common in Lincolnshire but now almost extinct, has also been introduced.
Surrounding the wet fenland is grassland with thickets of blackthorn and hawthorn scrub. The wildflowers of the grassland such as field scabious, knapweed and St. John's wort, provide nectar for butterflies and a host of other insects. The scrub provides shelter and song posts for birds such as yellowhammer, corn bunting, linnet and tree sparrow.
The River Witham was a key trading route for Bronze Age man and many important artefacts were found during the flood defence work. The bird hide on the reserve has been built in the style of a Bronze Age hut.
