About

What is New Life on the Old West?

New Life on the Old West delivered wildlife habitat enhancements in green spaces and surrounding countryside within areas close to the Old West River in the Cambridgeshire Fens.

The project created a series of small-scale habitat improvements – ponds, scrapes, hedges and wildflower meadows – in the arable landscape, the extensive ditch network and community green spaces. Together, these improvements have helped contribute to a more resilient landscape in the Cambridgeshire Fens, connecting dispersed species and habitats, while creating demonstration sites for others to learn from.

The project helped ensure that a wider range of people could access and enjoy the local fenland countryside. Through a diverse series of events and a dynamic volunteering programme, it built a stronger connection between people’s green space assets and the biodiversity on their doorstep.

The three-year programme – later extended for a further two years – was developed by Cambridgeshire ACRE, working closely with over 50 local and regional organisations, specialists, landowners and community groups. These stakeholders played a part in the conservation, land management and development of community green space and farmland assets within the landscape.

New Life on the Old West was supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, with thanks to National Lottery Players.

Project map

Types of habitat

  • Bat boxes
  • Berm
  • Bug hotel
  • Habitat enhacement
  • Information board
  • New hedgerow
  • New pond
  • New trees
  • Pond complex
  • Pond enhancement
  • Wildflowers

Key

Existing restoration areas
Project area
Parish boundaries

Our outcomes

A lot has been achieved over the last five years. This has included creating and maintaining green space habitats, training local volunteers in recording and monitoring biodiversity, and creating opportunities for learning through talks, nature safaris, and open farm days. Some of these events and activities can be found on the events page.

See how our volunteers got involved
75

Habitat improvements

3281

Volunteer hours

36

Training sessions

27

Nature recording days

49

Guided walks

34

Work parties

191

Events in total

7276m²

of new ponds

3442m²

of enhanced ponds

19495m²

of enhanced wildflower meadows

24220m²

of wildflower meadows created

1475m

of new hedgerows

2000m

of new berms

250k

Visits to our website

656

Followers on Facebook

120

Partner organisations

The team

All the team

Will Birkin

Project Officer, 2018—19

Howard Jones

Project Manager, 2021—23

Jamie Deakins

Project Manager, 2025

Laura Allen

Natural Heritage and Communities Officer, 2021—22

Olivia Boult

Natural Heritage and Communities Officer, 2023—24

Tate Oulton

Natural Heritage and Communities Officer, 2024—25

Karen MacKelvie

Natural Heritage and Communities Officer, 2024—25

Toby Frith

Digital Marketing Apprentice

The Fens

Our landscape

The project takes its name from the Old West River — the part of the Great Ouse flowing east from Earith, at the southern end of the 21 miles long Ouse Washes. From Earith, the river meanders through the countryside, until it reaches its confluence with the lower Cam and Ely Ouse just south of Stretham.

Our heritage

The project focuses on the natural heritage of the fen areas on either side of the Old West River. The river corridor provides a continuous habitat of verdant riverbanks and washland along its length. There are a number of important wetland sites, numerous parish-owned community green spaces, and many hectares of farmland. There is an extensive ditch network, some of which are particularly valuable for aquatic plants and invertebrates. Collectively this contributes to the landscape’s recognition as an area of high biodiversity value, with great potential for enhancement.

Biodiversity

The landscape’s importance for wildlife

The countryside around the Old West River is an important stronghold for rare and threatened species. It is located in between the rapidly expanding RSPB Ouse Fen wetland reserve and Ouse Washes to the west, and the National Trust’s 100-year Wicken Fen Vision area to the east, potentially creating a significant habitat corridor in between. These renowned sites at either end of the Old West River landscape are also of international importance for their lowland wetland habitats and species.

The river corridor is of significant biodiversity value: it is a stronghold for many rare and threatened species, such as the water vole and greater water parsnip. The extensive ditch network across the area is often referred to as “the hedgerows of the fens” because of their high nature value. The area is also a stronghold for highly threatened farmland birds including turtle doves and lapwing. Many of the community green spaces within and around the area’s villages support rare terrestrial plants and insects, as discovered through work done by the Fenland Flora Project and Buglife in the area.

Lapwing

(Vanellus vanellus)

The Lapwing is known for its long crest, black and white wings with iridescent green and purple sheen, and noisy, swooping aerial displays during the breeding season

Eurasian otter

(Lutra lutra)

A semi-aquatic mammal with a sleek, streamlined body, webbed feet, and dense brown fur. It lives in rivers, lakes, and coastal areas, where it hunts fish and other aquatic animals, and is known for its playful behaviour and strong swimming ability.

Dragonfly

(Anisoptera)

A dragonfly is a fast-flying insect with a long, slender body, two pairs of transparent wings, and large multifaceted eyes. It is often seen near water and is known for its agility in flight and its role as a predator of smaller insects..

Turtle Dove

(Streptopelia turtur)

The gentle purr of the turtle dove is an evocative sound of summer, but has become increasingly rare following rapid population decline, and is now included on the red list of conservation concern.

Great White Egret

(Ardea alba)

As the name suggests, this tall, white heron is considerably larger than the similar little egret. Once a rare visitor to the UK, sightings have become more common over the last few decades.

Water Vole

(Arvicola amphibius)

A species that is under threat from habitat loss and can be found along our waterways. It is similar-looking to the brown rat, but with a blunt nose, small ears and furry tail.

Water Violet

(Hottonia palustris)

Naturally a bog or marsh plant, the water violet provides a fantastic shelter for all kinds of aquatic wildlife – from dragonfly nymphs and water beetles to tadpoles.

Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil

(Lotus pedunculatus)

This plant is a member of the pea family and grows throughout Europe in damp location. Along the Old West River, it grows at the river edges; attracting a wide range of insects such as bees and butterflies.

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