Nene Washes

{{Short description|Wetland in Cambridgeshire, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox SSSI

|image= Distant swans, Guyhirn Wash - The Nene Washes - geograph.org.uk - 1737307.jpg

|image_caption =

|name= Nene Washes

|aos= Cambridgeshire

|interest=Biological

|gridref={{gbmappingsmall| TL 307 999 }}

|area= 1,522.1 hectares

|notifydate= 1983

|map=[http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271002071%27 Magic Map]

}}

{{Designation list

| designation1 = Ramsar

| designation1_offname = Nene Washes

| designation1_date = 5 March 1993

| designation1_number = 587{{Cite web|title=Nene Washes|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/587|access-date=25 April 2018}}}}

Nene Washes is a {{convert|1,522|ha|adj=on}} biological Site of Special Scientific Interest on the bank of the River Nene east of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire, England.{{cite web|url= https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteDetail.aspx?SiteCode=S1002071&SiteName=nene&countyCode=&responsiblePerson= |title=Designated Sites View: Nene Washes | series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date = 12 December 2016}}{{cite web|url= http://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?startTopic=Designations&activelayer=sssiIndex&query=HYPERLINK%3D%271002071%27|title=Map of Nene Washes|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher=Natural England|access-date= 12 December 2016}} It is also a Ramsar internationally important wetland site,{{cite web|url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/pdf/RIS/UK11046.pdf |title= Information Sheet on Ramsar Wetlands (RIS): Nene Washes |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|access-date= 11 December 2016}} a Special Area of Conservation,{{cite web|url= https://sac.jncc.gov.uk/site/UK0030222 |title= Nene Washes |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|access-date= 20 March 2020}} a Special Protection Area{{cite web|url= http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=2005|title= SPA description: Nene Washes |publisher=Joint Nature Conservation Committee|access-date= 11 December 2016}} and a Nature Conservation Review site.{{cite web|url= http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002071.pdf|title= Nene Washes citation|series= Sites of Special Scientific Interest|publisher= Natural England|access-date= 12 December 2016|archive-date= 24 October 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121024195236/http://www.sssi.naturalengland.org.uk/citation/citation_photo/1002071.pdf|url-status= dead}} An area of {{convert|280|ha|acres}} is managed by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.{{cite web|url=http://www.rspb.org.uk/reserves-and-events/find-a-reserve/reserves-a-z/reserves-by-name/n/nenewashes/|title=Nene Washes|publisher=Royal Society for the Protection of Birds|access-date= 11 December 2016}} The total area of the Ramsar site is {{convert|1,517|ha|acres}}.

This is described by Natural England as one of Britain's few remaining areas of washland which are vital for the survival of wildfowl and waders. It is used as a flood storage reservoir for the River Nene and is flooded for most of the winter and is pasture in the summer. It is important for birds all year. In the wintering wildfowl include wigeons, teals, pintails and Bewick's swans. In the breeding season the nesting species include common crane, black-tailed godwit, garganey and common snipe. The cranes also winter in the area and flock in nearby fields. They reserve is also good for birds of prey including Western marsh harrier, Eurasian hobby and short-eared owl.

The rich flora in ditches include uncommon species such as frogbit, water violet and flowering rush. There is also an important population of spined loach in the drainage channels in and around the washes, and the presence of this species is one of the primary reasons for the site's designation as a Special Area of Conservation.

There is access to the RSPB reserve immediately east of the B1040 road from Nene Way. The western end is private land with no public access.{{cite web|url=http://dingsbirdgroup.weebly.com/nene-washes-rspb.html|title=RSPB and Nene Washes|publisher=Peterborough Bird Club|access-date= 11 December 2016}}