BAP

Of all the habitats in Lincolnshire the rivers and wetlands of the county have seen some of the most dramatic changes over the last few centuries. The great fens that extended throughout several eastern counties and dominated the landscape of south-east Lincolnshire have been drained and converted to farmland and small towns leaving just a small fragment of what was once one of Britain's richest wildlife habitats. This drainage resulted in a vastly modified landscape with an extensive network of drainage dykes and a uniform, canalised and maintenance-dependent waterway system. The range of specialist animals and plants associated with the Fens are now rare or threatened with extinction. However, the extensive drains and dykes that have replaced wild fen do support water voles, otters and a range of birds and invertebrates.

Vision for Lincolnshire's Rivers and Wetlands

• Wetland management safeguards and improves habitat condition and benefits species. Over abstraction is not an issue.
• Opportunities to extend habitats and connect rivers with their floodplain are explored in all schemes.
• Lincolnshire rivers and wetlands are appreciated for their wealth of wildlife and other benefits.
• Throughout Lincolnshire is a network of large-scale dynamic, healthy, functioning wetlands - providing valuable ecosystem services.

Action Plans

• Chalk streams and blow wells
• Fens (NEW!)
• Ponds, lakes and reservoirs
• Reedbeds and bittern (NEW!)
• Rivers, canals and drains
• Springs and flushes

• Freshwater fish (NEW!)
• Greater water-parsnip
• Water vole
• White-clawed crayfish
• Invasive non-native species (NEW!)

Details can be downloaded from the Documents section.