Restoration of Fleam Dyke SSSI and Scheduled Ancient Monument and Creation of a Species-rich Chalk Grassland Biodiversity Offsetting Site
Fleam Dyke Nature Reserve is an SSSI and a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The Dyke will be gradually restored to chalk grassland with scattered scrub. There is significant work required to remove the scrub, so this will be a long-term venture over 20 years. The Dyke will be re-fenced and grazing animals gradually re-introduced to manage the species-rich grassland and keep it free of scrub and tall grasses.
The habitat bank land is a strip of 50m wide former arable farmland adjacent to the length of the Dyke north of the A11. The long-term aim is to create species-rich chalk grassland priority habitat as an extension to the Nature Reserve. The chalk grassland was sown in Autumn 2024. The site has been fenced and will be managed through annual grazing by cattle or sheep, with occasional cutting as required. Public access will not be allowed, but the site is visible from the Fleam Dyke public footpath. The habitat bank will operate for 30 years, after which the fields will be fully integrated into the larger nature reserve.
This project forms part of a larger project to create a single large Nature Reserve, incorporating Fleam Dyke and Fulbourn Fen, within the Cambridge Nature Network.
| Dates | 2024- |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Area of habitat created or improved | 10 ha |
| Location | Fleam Dyke. Access from Fulbourn Fen, Stonebridge lane. |
Partners and Funders
Funded by: Wildlife Trust BCN, Natural Cambridgeshire’s Fund for Nature, Cambridge Past Present & Future, Individual Donations, and Grants-making Trusts.