I have been stupid!

I have realised that I have been stupid, in that I should have explained and illustrated on this blog what it is in the National Trust's so-called 'Wicken Vision' that is so upsetting to residents of the Fens and the ancient Fen-edge settlements of Wicken, Upware, Burwell, Reach, Swaffham Prior, Swaffham Bulbeck, Lode & Longmeadow, Bottisham, Stow cum Quy, Fen Ditton, Horningsea and Waterbeach.

The map (extracted from a National Trust propaganda paper) shows the extent of the area that the Trust sees as a necessary addition to the existing Wicken Fen National Nature Reserve (to which few have objected for more than a hundred years). The area coloured yellow is what the Trust wants to acquire. It extends from the village of Wicken almost to the edge of Cambridge.

We locals hate the thought that the Trust is to buy up and flood or 'junglefy' thousands of acres of the finest food-growing Cambridgeshire Fen land, the best of Britain's most basic resources.

We deplore the loss of this land, the threat to homes, livelihoods and businesses, and the grave danger to a place of worship, the well-known and greatly-loved 'Little Chapel in The Fen.' (Below is a picture of part of last year's Harvest Thanksgiving Service congregation. It was a truly wonderful occasion).

We are concerned that additional car parks and extra traffic in and through the villages - as well as more flies and mosquitoes - will affect residents adversely.

Most of all, we are angered by the pointless and enormous estimated £100-million-plus expense (to include the £20-million so-called 'Bridge of Reeds' over the A14) and believe, in this recession, that there are other and better objects and causes to support.

Here is the link to our SaveOurFens E-Petition -

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/SaveOurFens/