Local people making their corner of rural Britain unique
This week
Saturday 26 May 2007
Billed as one of the least visited places in Britain, Sutton Fen has just been purchased by the RSPB as a nature reserve. But will public ownership spoil it? Helen Mark finds out.
Helen becomes the 51st visitor in over a century to the area, an isolated habitat in the middle of the ever-popular Norfolk Broads. Here she learns why from the RSPB's Ian Robinson why they purchased Sutton Fen late last year, creating its 200th nature reserve. She also listens to one of the fen's most elusive residents -- the bittern.
Helen also meets artist David Dane, who's been painting broadland scenes for more than 30 years. Sutton Fen is essentially his back garden.
Next Helen hears about the history of the fen from historian Keith Bacon. The fen's been in private hands for centuries, which may account for its isolation.
Sedge cutting is a big part of the maintenace of the fen, and Helen learns to cut it from marshman Gary Elliott. Gary's been working the fen site for more than a decade. But his father, who was also a sedge cutter for 40 years, tried to get him to take up another line of work.
Press Listen Again for your visit to this most ellusive of UK locations.
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