History

Boughton Fen is located at the eastern end of Oxborough Road (old Fen Road) and covers around 40 acres to the south of the 'T' junction and straddles either side of the road that leads to Eastmoor to the north and Oxborough to the south. It is a nationally designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and has recently been reclassified as being in an ‘unfavourable recovering condition’ (November 2013). Water loss is occurring at an alarming rate and there is rapid encroachment of scrub that will lead to this important site becoming woodland in a short period of time and this will result in the loss of important wildlife currently existing in this environment. These adverse conditions are fundamentally the result of neglect and the lack of a definitive structure for managing this site.

Boughton Fen comprises three separate parcels of land at the eastern end of Oxborough Road. For ease of identification the Boughton Fen Committee (BFC) have labelled these parcels of land Highland Fen, Middle Fen and Lower Fen. The total registered area of The Fen is 44 acres and two of these parcels have been designated SSSI status by Natural England, namely Highland Fen and Middle Fen.

Boughton Fen is situated on shallow fen peats in the valley of a tributary of the River Wissey. A tall fen community covers much of the site and several interesting plants are present. Scrub is well represented and is used by breeding birds. The site is of entomological interest. Reed Phragmites australis forms an almost pure stand where the water-table is highest at the southern end of the site. The remainder of the site is of variable wetness and a more diverse fen community has developed. Reed is again dominant, but Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria and Great Willowherb Epilobium hirsutum are abundant. Other species present include Common Valerian Valeriana officinalis, Hemp Agrimony Eupatorium cannabinum, Angelica Angelica sylvestris, Purple Small-reed Calamagrostis canescens and Reed Sweet-grass Glyceria maxima.

On the highest ground, woodland has developed and is dominated by Ash Fraxinus excelsior and Alder Alnus glutinosa with some Willow Salix sp. The ground flora consists of Meadowseet, Nettle Urtica dioica and Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium. Several areas of dense Blackthorn Prunus spinosa scrub are present on the drier parts of the site. Many uncommon species of moth have been recorded from the site, including the rare Perizoma sagittata. Sedge, Reed and Grasshopper Warblers all breed on The Fen and otters are regular visitors. The Perizoma sagittata is the nationally scarce “Marsh Carpet Moth” which is found in marshes and reedbeds. It will therefore be one of our targets to establish whether or not this moth is still present. The food plant of the Marsh Carpet Moth larvae, Common Meadow-rue, Thalictrium plavumhas, has been located on both Highland and Middle Fen.