C2.1      Administrative districts
C2.2      Rights of way, navigation rights
C2.3      Official Nature conservation status
C2.4      Planning status

C2.1 Administrative Districts

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Wicken Fen lies within the administrative county of Cambridgeshire (VC 29), the East Cambridgeshire District Council, and mostly within the Civil Parishes of Wicken and Burwell; a small strip in the south-western corner lies in the parish of Swaffham Prior.

C2.2 Rights of Way, Navigation Rights

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C2.2.1 Rights of Way

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Public rights of way are shown in Figure 22. The footpaths beside Wicken Lode originated as towing paths. The bridleway along Sedge Fen Drove originated as providing the means for private owners to gain access to their plots, entering the Fen from the village via Breed Fen Drove.

The rights of way provide access to the Fen and are used by a small number of local residents for dog-walking and general strolling and are highly valued by the community as a whole. Their removal would ease the problem of controlling access to the Fen but would meet fierce local opposition.

In 1988 soundings were made as to the possibility of formalising a right of way over Monks Lode in return for the extinguishment of the right-of-way on the Fen side of Wicken Lode. This was opposed by the Local Authority and the Ramblers' Association, but it may be possible to pursue the matter in the future.

C2.2.2 Other footpaths

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The footpath along the south side of Wicken Lode, over Monk's Lode bridge and eastwards along the south bank of Monk's Lode is waymarked as part of Cambridgeshire County Council's 'Wicken Walks'. Other, permissive, routes are shown in Fig. 23.

C2.2.3 Navigation

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Wicken Lode carried little traffic between 1900 and 1960, but then began to attract a considerable volume of recreational traffic. These were mainly large propeller-driven craft whose turbulence and wash had a very adverse effect on the ecology of the lode.

Since 1983, most motorboats have not been permitted, by Anglian Water (NRA) Bye-Law, to procede upstream beyond the junction of Monks Lode and Wicken Lode. Traffic along the rest of the Lode seems to have decreased over the past decade. The lode vegetation has improved under the combined effects of reduced stirring by propellors and annual dredging.

C2.3 Official Nature Conservation Status

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The Fen was included in the Nature Conservation Review (Ratcliffe 1977) as a Grade 1 Site, and much of the area is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Management prescriptions are agreed in advance with English Nature.

The boundary of the S.S.S.I. does not coincide completely with that of the Trust's property (see Appendix & Fig. 24); in particular, the Poors' Fen and the privately-owned strips are included, and the arable areas of Adventurers' Fen are excluded.

A copy of the letter of notification as an S.S.S.I. and the list of notifiable operations (works for which permission must be obtained from the English Nature) are given in an Appendix.

In 1986, the Management Plan was agreed as the basis for management of the property. Only new works and modifications not covered in the Management Plan need be referred to English Nature.

In 1992, the NT submitted an application for the Fen to be designated a National Nature Reserve (NNR) under the Section 35 of the 1981 Act; this is to be conferred in 1993. The Fen should then benefit from enhanced protection in planning control in the area and to attract improved grant aid.

At the same time, the reserve has been put forward for consideration as a RAMSAR site. This is an international designation for wetland and ornithological sites which provides even greater protection from inappropriate local development. A decision is pending.

C2.4 Planning Status

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The East Cambridgeshire District Council Local Plan defines a 'Wicken Fen Safeguarding Area' (see map 25) within which 'development which could be considered detrimental to the interests of Wicken Fen and its users will not be permitted' (LPS 159). Discussion, in co-operation with Wicken Parish Council, about the boundary of the Safeguarding Area is taking place.