Where and what is the Wetland Project?

Centred around the River Hertford floodplain, the project area lies just 3 km south of Scarborough at its closest point. A canalised tributary of the River Derwent, the Hertford drains the eastern end of the Vale of Pickering, an area of farmland known as The Carrs. The flat, low-lying fields between the villages of Flixton and Folkton to the south and Seamer and Cayton to the north became the early focus of the farming scheme. Here especially an opportunity was identified for an ambitious environmental farming project which could at the same time transform the fortunes of local farmers facing increasing challenges to keep the land drained.

The idea was to continue farming the land but with environmental objectives playing a bigger role - and central to these objectives was the restoration of wet grassland, a type of habitat known as floodplain grazing marsh, which has been lost from many parts of the British countryside. So important are wet grasslands that they arer named as a UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) Priority Habitat.

The peaty soils, in places up to 3m deep formed in waterlogged ground where a Stone Age wetland landscape used to be some 10,000 years ago. Coined 'Lake Flixton' this watery environment, inhabitated by Mesolithic humans was in fact part of a string of shallow water bodies, reedswamp and boggy woodland right along the Vale of Pickering. Over the millenia, deep fen peat deposits accumulated and the lakes gradually filled in. The open landscape of today with level fields divided by water-filled ditches has been created by over 200 years of land drainage for farming.

Although the Carrs are less than 3km from the North Sea, all of the area's water drains west along the River Hertford, joining the Derwent and the Rye before heading past York and eventually reaching the North Sea via the Humber Estuary.

In 2009 the Project was rolled out to encompass the whole length of the River Hertford from the springs at Muston Bottoms westwards to the confluence with the Derwent at Ganton.

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What is the background to this project?

In recent decades farmers here have faced increasing challenges with drainage in this area for a number of reasons. The politics of flood risk management have seen a shift since the fifties from protecting farmland to protecting urban settlements and built-up areas. In the past there would have been a lot more manpower and resources dedicated to channel management than there is today. With less frequent management the river silts up or becomes choked with aquatic weed growth, reducing its capacity. 

Rainfall patterns have changed over time, possibly as a result of global climate change, with increased frequency of heavy rainfall in summer. Harvesting crops can be difficult and some arable fields have been set aside for several years due to difficulties of cropping them. Other parts laid to grass pasture, grazed by sheep and cattle, are prone to winter wet.  What's more, topographic surveys have shown the peat to have shrunk by an average of half a metre across The Carrs since the 1970s. One only has to drive over the bridge on Carr Lane between Folkton and Cayton to feel the effects - built level with the road in 1976, its foundations driven into the solid ground beneath the peat, the bridge is now higher than the land either side, acting like a large speed bump.

In the Cayton and Flixton Carrs area a great opportunity exists to restore precious wetland habitats through Environmental Stewardship agreements with landowners. Administered by Natural England, the scheme has two tiers and the Cayton and Flixton Carrs area is specifically targetted for the sought-after Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) agreements. This can provide significant environmental benefits by paying farmers to create and manage habitats of high conservation or landscape value on their land. These schemes can be used to help reverse recent declines in farm wildlife, especially farmland and wetland bird species. The Project is helping interested farmers  to apply for these prestigious Higher Level Stewardship agreements. For an informal chat about HLS potential farmers may contact the Project Officer directly.

 Environmental Stewardship outline booklet [1.35 MB]

How did the project begin?

The project was started by Scarborough Borough Council on a small piece of land near Star Carr, the aim here was to create a small wetland area, including scrapes and wet grassland.

However, when local farmers heard of these plans they also became interested in getting involved in the project. This led to a widening out of the project into surrounding farmland and a number of other organisations became involved including Natural England, The Environment Agency, The RSPB and North Yorkshire County Council. Along with Scarborough Borough Council these organisations form the project partnership, working with local farmers and other stakeholders.

Project Partners

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