Enhancing biodiversity The Great Fen is one of the most important wildlife projects in Europe. Of the wild habitat of the fen basin, 99 per cent has been lost over time. Only precious remnants remain. Two of them, Woodwalton Fen and Holme Fen, lie at the heart of the Great Fen. The Great Fen seeks to link these two National Nature Reserves, and through careful land management increase biodiversity, enhancing the resilience to climate change of threatened species. The re-emergence of extensive wetland habitats will benefit fenland plants and animals, including rare birds such as snipe and lapwing. Climate-change mitigation The restoration of the Great Fen will play an important role in addressing one of the causes of climate change, by halting the process of peat degradation. It is estimated that the oxidisation of peat in the Great Fen area, which is a direct result of draining the land, releases 325,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. Once the peat is re-wetted and oxidisation stopped, greenhouse-gas emissions are reduced. In fact, over 80 years, it is predicted that each re-wetted hectare of the Great Fen could result in an avoided loss of 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide. In addition, the scheme demonstrates the possibilities for managing flood attenuation and growing biomass crops for renewable energy production. Economic growth and investment The Great Fen project will contribute to the diversification and development of the local economy by creating jobs in land management, livestock farming and nature conservation, and it will also provide a boost to the tourism industry through visitor enterprises. New cultural, ecological and heritage attractions will be created in and around the Great Fen area, helping to extend the positive impact of the restoration into the sub-region. Recreation and education New, safe access to the countryside will be created in an area traditionally lacking public footpaths, cycleways and bridleways, meeting the needs of residents and the local workforce and new communities to come. At the heart of the Great Fen will be an inspirational visitor centre, which will provide a place to learn about the ecology and heritage of the fens and provide a starting point for exploration of the wider Great Fen.