Living Nene

‘Living Nene’ will secure the long-term protection and enhancement of Irthlingborough Lakes and Meadows and restore 30 hectares of historical Floodplain Grazing Marsh. The habitat naturally occurred here, at the heart of the Nene Valley, for centuries, but was destroyed by agricultural intensification and gravel extraction in the 1980s and 90s. With Heritage Lottery Funds we will purchase this key 115 hectare site and establish it as a nature reserve. A substantial area of important wetland will be restored and brought into positive management for biodiversity using SITA Trust funds. The project will create habitat linkage over 7km, and bring 6% of the 1,386ha Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits Special Protection Area into favourable condition.