Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

Long rotation scrub clearance may be the most practical or desirable management
option, particularly where follow-up management of the open fen may be difficult to
arrange. While this form of management does not manage the sward beneath the
scrub, it is an important pre-requisite for doing so.
Key points to consider in relation to scrub management are summarised below.
Scrub removal is described in detail in The Scrub Management Handbook (English
Nature, 2003) and the Reedbed Management Handbook (Hawke and Jose, 1996).
Depending on the size of trees and scale of work being carried out,
a felling licence may be required, and the disposal of cut material by
burning or other activities may have to be registered with the relevant
statutory authority as an exemption. See Appendix V.
6.5.1 General guidelines on scrub management
– Prioritise scrub removal on areas which are likely to produce good quality
fen following restoration, and areas of fen most recently or partially invaded to
prevent further deterioration or habitat change.
– Avoid clearing established scrub and woodland communities which are now
more valuable in conservation terms than the original fen habitat, or the type of
habitat which could be restored.
– Consider the whole site when deciding on the proportion of scrub to open
fen. In England the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) scheme’s Fen Tier
target is for 10% of a potentially open fen area to remain as scrub. This same
target figure is also used in the JNCC’s Common Standards for Monitoring
guidance for lowland wetlands. However other targets may be more appropriate
depending on local priorities for birds or invertebrate interest. For example, in
the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads, the target for scattered scrub within open fens
is a maximum of 5%. This excludes small blocks of dense and continuous scrub
which may be associated with the open fen and contributes to an overall target
figure of 10%.
– Consider the distribution pattern of scrub as well as the overall proportion in
relation to other habitat types.
– Grind stumps or treat with appropriate herbicide after clearance to limit regrowth
and to facilitate follow-up management. Combining herbicide treatment
and stump grinding should ensure that most trees are killed. (see section 6.5.3)
Take account of follow-up management requirements in choosing which method of
scrub clearance is most appropriate. Pulled stumps leave holes, but high stumps
may obstruct the use of machinery in the future. For further information see The
Scrub Management Handbook: Guidance on the Management of Scrub on Nature
Conservation, English Nature, 2003.
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