Peat: Wicken Fen

摘要

Wicken Fen (Fig. 5), some 13 km northeast of Cambridge, has been a nature reserve for over 100 years and is in the care of the National Trust. It is a rare survivor of original East Anglian fenland. It has been thoroughly researched over the years, has a nice visitors centre and a lot to offer naturalists and the general public. Yet there is barely a mention of the underlying peat that supports the reserve. This neglect will be nothing new to geologists and soil scientists. Wildlife has a higher profile than mud and rocks. However, there have been signs that the National Trust is becoming more aware of the physical environments of their properties. At Wicken Fen there are opportunities to highlight the importance of peat and the need for its conservation. The first essential would be to direct the attention of visitors to the peat under the duckboards: an information board could provide a simple description of a handful of peat to awaken an interest. This could be complemented with a booklet expanding upon the subject for later reading. One's eyes (and ears) should be directed to the reserve rather than a printed page during a visit.