Ham Fen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ham Fen |
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| Type | Nature reserve |
| Location | Sandwich, Kent |
| OS grid | TR329553 |
| Area | 30 hectares (74 acres) |
Ham Fen is a special nature reserve in Kent, England. It's a large area of land, about 41 acres (16.6 hectares), located south of a town called Sandwich. This amazing place is managed by the Kent Wildlife Trust, an organization that works to protect nature. In 2018, the reserve even grew bigger, adding another 33 acres!
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Discovering Ham Fen: A Special Nature Reserve
Ham Fen is a rare type of wetland called a "fen." It has wet grasslands with deep, muddy areas called mires. There are also many small canals and ditches that crisscross the land. This makes it a very unique and important habitat. Ham Fen is actually the last surviving ancient fen habitat in all of Kent!
The reserve was first created in 1991. By the middle of 2018, it had grown to cover over 100 acres (about 40 hectares). It's a vital home for many different plants and animals that need wet environments to survive.
A Look Back: Ham Fen's History
Sadly, Ham Fen has faced some challenges in the past. In the 1700s and early 1980s, people tried to drain the land. This means they removed a lot of the water. While this might have seemed like a good idea at the time, it caused a lot of damage to the natural environment.
When the water was removed, the special wetland habitat started to disappear. Many of the plants and animals that lived there struggled to survive. This led to a significant loss of species that depend on wet areas. It was a big problem for the fen's delicate ecosystem.
Beavers to the Rescue!
To help fix the damage and bring Ham Fen back to life, conservationists started an exciting project. They decided to reintroduce beavers to the site. Beavers are amazing engineers of nature! They build dams and lodges, which helps to create and maintain wetland habitats.
The first beavers were brought to Ham Fen in 2002. Since then, they have been working hard to restore the natural environment. Their activities help to keep the water levels just right, creating perfect conditions for other wetland species to thrive. This project has been very successful in helping Ham Fen recover.
Visiting Ham Fen
It's important to know that Ham Fen is a very sensitive nature reserve. Because of its special and delicate environment, the site is not open to the general public. This helps to protect the rare plants and animals that live there. However, the Kent Wildlife Trust often shares updates and information about the amazing work happening at Ham Fen.
