Lord Chris Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency, visited the National Trust's Wicken Fen on Tuesday 2 February to highlight the importance of World Wetlands Day. The Environment Agency, working in partnership with other conservation bodies, is recreating wetland habitat in order to help humans and wildlife adapt to the increasing effects of climate change.

The Environment Agency also recognizes the importance of farming in The Fens and Chris Smith participated in a debate held at Wicken Fen on the need to balance agriculture and biodiversity in an area where both have a high profile.

Lord Chris Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency with officials of the Agency, National Trust, National Farmers' Union and local farmers representatives, Michael Sly and Peter Sargeant

Wicken Fen Vision is an ambitious plan to create a new nature reserve covering around 53 square kilometres between Cambridge and Wicken Fen. It will create a large accessible area of countryside for people to enjoy right on Cambridge's doorstep, and protect the 8,200 different species of animals, birds, fish and amphibians, insects and plants that live there.

"But," said Geoff Brighty, the Environment Agency's Area Manager, "We have to recognize that The Fens also have some of the richest farm land in the country - it's the nation's potato basket. And we see agriculture as one of our top priorities."

Geoff added: "We were keen to discuss how we can all get the balance right. Right for the environment, right for agriculture and right for the local economy. Chris Smith's visit helped us to find a way forward. We are delighted that Chris made the time to visit us."

Joining this debate on biodiversity and agriculture on Tuesday at Wicken Fen were Paul Hammett from the National Farmers' Union and local farming representatives, Michael Sly and Peter Sargeant together with Philip Broadbent-Yale and Chris Soans from the National Trust.

Paul Hammett, Senior Policy Adviser with the NFU said of Lord Smith's visit: "This was a useful opportunity to highlight that the fens are a highly productive and precious resource, which must be protected to safeguard future food production and deliver the environmental benefits we all want to see."

Howard Cooper, the National Trust's Communications Officer at Wicken Fen said: "It's great that Lord Smith visited Wicken Fen on World Wetlands Day. We were pleased to showcase the excellent work we have done at Wicken with the Environment Agency and other partners and to have the opportunity to highlight our future plans to enhance biodiversity and public access to the countryside."

Wetlands, one of the most important ecosystems on earth, help to store floodwaters, improve water quality, and act as a carbon store - the wet soil keeping carbon locked in. They are also home to over half of the UK's plant species, and a variety of critically endangered animal and bird species such as the water vole and snipe. Wetlands can also be used as productive farmland, and are often grazed with cattle.