Ham Fen

Last updated
Ham Fen
View across Ham Fen - geograph.org.uk - 692418.jpg
TypeNature reserve
LocationSandwich, Kent
OS grid TR329553
Area30 hectares (74 acres)

Ham Fen is a 41-hectare (100-acre) nature reserve south of Sandwich in Kent. It is one of Kent Wildlife Trust's nature reserves and is being extended in 2018 by an extra 33 acres.

This old fenland site has wet grassland with deep mires, dykes and ditches, and is the last surviving ancient fen habitat in Kent. The reserve was established in 1991 and as of mid-2018 covers over 100 acres. Considerable damage was caused by two major episodes of land drainage in the 18th century and early 1980s, which led to significant habitat deterioration and loss of wetland species. [1]

Work to repair the natural environment includes the successful reintroduction of beavers to the site, which first took place in 2002. [2]

The site is not open to the public.

Related Research Articles

Thatcham Reed Beds Nature reserve in the United Kingdom

Thatcham Reed Beds is a 67.4-hectare (167-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest east of Newbury in Berkshire. It is part of the Kennet & Lambourn Floodplain Special Area of Conservation and an area of 14 hectares is a Local Nature Reserve. An area of 35 hectares is managed by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust.

East Blean Woods

East Blean Woods is a 151.4-hectare (374-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south of Herne Bay in Kent. It is also a National Nature Reserve a Special Area of Conservation and a Nature Conservation Review site. An area of 122 hectares is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust.

Hothfield Common

Hothfield Common is a 56.5-hectare (140-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-east of Ashford in Kent. It is also a Local Nature Reserve, and is part of the 86-hectare (210-acre) Hothfield Heathlands nature reserve owned by Ashford Borough Council and managed by Kent Wildlife Trust.

Park Gate Down

Park Gate Down or Parkgate Down is a 7-hectare (17-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south-east of Stelling Minnis in Kent. It is also a Special Area of Conservation and is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust,

Queendown Warren

Queendown Warren is a 22.2-hectare (55-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest south-east of Rainham in Kent. It is a Local Nature Reserve, a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade 2, and a Special Area of Conservation.. It is in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust, and part of it is owned by Plantlife.

Lydden and Temple Ewell Downs

Lydden and Temple Ewell Downs is a 63.2-hectare (156-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north-west of Dover in Kent. It is a Special Area of Conservation and Nature Conservation Review site. It is also part of the 78.5-hectare (194-acre) Lydden Temple Ewell National Nature Reserve and the 90-hectare (220-acre) Lydden Temple Ewell nature reserve, which is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust. It is in the South Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Arger Fen Suffolk Wildlife Trust nature reserve

Arger Fen is a 49.7 hectare biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) south-east of Sudbury in Suffolk, England. The site occupies two separate areas. The 17.6-hectare (43-acre) Arger Fen Local Nature Reserve is part of the larger eastern block, and contains part of the 21-hectare (52-acre) Tiger Hill Local Nature Reserve, along with part of the 110-hectare (270-acre) Arger Fen and Spouse's Vale, a nature reserve managed by the Suffolk Wildlife Trust. The site lies in the Dedham Vale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

Cranham Marsh Essex Wildlife Trust Nature reserve

Cranham Marsh is a 15.3 hectare Local Nature Reserve and a Site of Metropolitan Importance for Nature Conservation in Cranham in the London Borough of Havering. It is owned by Havering Council and managed by the Essex Wildlife Trust.

Broadham Down

Broadham Down is a 16-hectare (40-acre) nature reserve east of Chilham and west of Canterbury in Kent. It is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust.

Nashenden Down

Nashenden Down is a 55-hectare (140-acre) nature reserve on the southern outskirts of Rochester in Kent. It is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust, and is in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Hewitts Chalk Bank

Hewitt's Chalk Bank is a 4-hectare (10-acre) nature reserve north-east of Pratt's Bottom in the London Borough of Bromley. It is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust.

Old Park Hill

Old Park Hill is a 40-hectare (100-acre) nature reserve north of Dover in Kent. It is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT). It is in the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Holborough to Burham Marshes

Holborough to Burham Marshes is a 149.8-hectare (370-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest Kent. Holborough Marshes and Burham Marsh are managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust.

Sandwich Bay to Hacklinge Marshes

Sandwich Bay to Hacklinge Marshes is a 1,790.1-hectare (4,423-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest which stretches between Deal and Sandwich in Kent. It includes two Geological Conservation Review sites, and most of it is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. Part of it is a Ramsar site, a Special Area of Conservation, a Special Protection Area and a National Nature Reserve, It also includes a Kent Wildlife Trust nature reserve and a Local Nature Reserve,

West Blean and Thornden Woods

West Blean and Thornden Woods is a 781-hectare (1,930-acre) biological Site of Special Scientific Interest north of Canterbury in Kent. It is part of the Blean Woods Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I. and an area of 490 hectares is a nature reserve managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust,

Wouldham to Detling Escarpment

Wouldham to Detling Escarpment is a 311.2-hectare (769-acre) biological and geological Site of Special Scientific Interest which stretches from Wouldham to Detling, north of Maidstone in Kent. Part of it is a Geological Conservation Review site, and it is part of the North Downs Woodlands Special Area of Conservation and the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is a Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I and it includes three Kent Wildlife Trust nature reserves and a Local Nature Reserve,

Princes Beachlands

Prince's Beachlands is a 6-hectare (15-acre) Local Nature Reserve north of Sandwich in Kent. It is owned by Dover Town Council and managed by Kent Wildlife Trust as part of the Sandwich Bay to Hacklinge Marshes nature reserve. It is part of the Sandwich and Pegwell Bay Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I, Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay Ramsar site, Sandwich Bay Special Area of Conservation, Thanet Coast and Sandwich Bay Special Protection Area and Sandwich Bay to Hacklinge Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Holborough Marshes

Holborough Marshes is a 35-hectare (86-acre) nature reserve on the outskirts of Snodland, south-west of Chatham in Kent. It is managed by Kent Wildlife Trust. It is part of Holborough to Burham Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Polhill Bank

Polhill Bank is a 4-hectare (9.9-acre) nature reserve south of Shoreham, which is north of Sevenoaks in Kent. It is managed by Kent Wildlife Trust. It is in Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Sandwich and Pegwell Bay

Sandwich and Pegwell Bay is a 615-hectare (1,520-acre) nature reserve Kent, managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust. It is a National Nature Reserve, and it includes a Geological Conservation Review site, Prince's Beachlands Local Nature Reserve and two Special Areas of Conservation, Sandwich Bay and Thanet Coast. It is part of Sandwich Bay and Thanet Coast Ramsar site and Special Protection Area. It is also of Sandwich Bay to Hacklinge Marshes Site of Special Scientific Interest and Sandwich/Pegwell Bay Nature Conservation Review site, Grade I.

References

  1. "Ham Fen - A Beaver's Tale". Archived from the original on 2018-07-16. Retrieved 2018-07-15.
  2. "Ham Fen". Kent Wildlife Trust. Archived from the original on 2018-01-03. Retrieved 9 March 2018.

Coordinates: 51°14′56″N1°20′10″E / 51.249°N 1.336°E / 51.249; 1.336