Nene Park Trust was established in 1988 to ensure the long-term management, protection and enhancement of Nene Park and its green spaces across Peterborough. Ferry Meadows, a peri-urban country park, is the Trust’s flagship site. Originally created as both a recreational space and a functional floodplain, it provides a valuable haven for wildlife, protects the area’s natural and cultural heritage, and offers accessible green space for the people of Peterborough.
Since its establishment, Nene Park Trust has expanded to include rural and agricultural land along a 10 km stretch of the River Nene. Through habitat restoration, sustainable livestock grazing and Countryside Stewardship schemes, the Trust is restoring wetlands and regenerating landscapes to support biodiversity and strengthen ecological resilience.
Floodplain meadows have become increasingly rare across Britain, despite being among the country’s most valuable habitats for both people and nature. Their soils store significant amounts of carbon, improve water quality by trapping sediments carried by rivers, and recover naturally after flooding to support species-rich grasslands with exceptional biodiversity. However, it is estimated that nearly half of the UK’s historic floodplains are no longer connected to their river systems, while only 11% retain semi-natural habitat. As a result, many of the ecosystem services they provide have been lost, alongside vital habitat for amphibians, birds, insects and other wildlife.
The Castor Flood Meadows Restoration project will restore and protect a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) through the installation of fencing that enables conservation grazing. Using native British cattle breeds, carefully managed grazing will control scrub encroachment and maintain the open grassland conditions needed for floodplain meadows to thrive. This management will encourage a greater floristic diversity, creating habitat and food sources for invertebrates, birds and other wildlife.
In addition to supporting biodiversity, conservation grazing will improve soil structure, fertility and water retention, helping to maintain the resilience of this important floodplain habitat and enhancing its ability to recover from future flood events.
The Castor Flood Meadows Restoration project is being supported by the Elgol Fund for Nature, which is also funding three years of ecological monitoring to measure improvements in the diversity and abundance of both flora and fauna across the site.
All photos courtesy of the Nene Park Trust
