The habitat which includes a mere, channels and reedbeds has already started to attract wildlife with lapwings dropping in to check out the new feeding site. The area around the water’s edge was seeded with grassland plants last year using a state of art agricultural drone.

The site will now be carefully monitored to record evidence of dragonflies, amphibians and birds arriving in the coming weeks and months. Footpaths around the area have been closed while the work was completed, and nearby roads have been closed due to ongoing repair work by the county council. But by the end of March the roadworks were completed and in the summer, once the grass has grown back on the paths it is expected that all restrictions will be lifted ready for visitors to experience the land returning to nature for the first time in more than 100 years.

Lorna Parker, Great Fen Project Manager, said: “While it was amazing to see the transformation of this land from arable fields to wetland, we were very grateful to see the last digger roll off so that nature can truly take over.

“Lots have people have complained about the wet weather at the start of the year, but not us. The rainfall has helped fill the new mere and channels, and wherever there is water there is life. Birds flying overhead have spotted the new feeding ground and have been coming in to investigate. The specially designed shallow muddy edges are ideal for insects and molluscs which will provide a feast for wading birds like lapwings, redshank and snipe, we often get rare insects attracted to new pools, so who knows what wonders will turn up.

“Last year we celebrated 25 years since the start of the Great Fen vision and we are now busier than ever bringing nature back to Cambridgeshire. We’d like to say a huge thank you to all our funders and supporters for backing this vital work to halt and reverse wildlife declines.”

Now that the work at New Decoy is complete, Trust staff and specialist contractors will turn their attention to Speechly’s Farm nearby, where an even larger and more complex wetland creation project will begin in earnest this year. Once completed the remaining fragments of ancient fen, Woodwalton and Holme Fen will be joined continuously with land managed for nature.

The work is part of the latest phase of the Great Fen vision - Peatland Progress, which has been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and our supporters. Funding for the New Decoy restoration also came from the Fens East Peat Partnership through the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme administered by Natural England.