Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

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grazing on vegetation composition and structure, and on molluscs. Measures of vegetation structure and composition were recorded in 20 quadrats in each of seven randomly located 15 x 30 m plots. One half of each plot was open to grazing, and the other half fenced off from grazing. Densities of molluscs were estimated by carrying out timed searches in eight 0.5 x 0.5 m quadrats in the grazed and ungrazed halves of each of these seven plots. The effects of grazing Statistical significant differences in the composition and structure of S25 tall-herb fen after four years of grazing were: – Increased dominance of reed sweet-grass Glyceria maxima at the expense of reed Phragmites australis. – Increased plant species-richness. – Reduced vegetation height – Reduced biomass of common reed and total vegetation biomass. – Reduced inflorescence density of common reed. Cattle were frequently observed feeding on the bark of willow scrub in winter, breaking willow branches with their horns and browsing their leaves, and so probably also reduced the growth of low scrub. No differences were detected in fine-scale (tens of centimetre) variation in habitat structure between grazed and ungrazed areas. However, the large-scale variation in grazing pressure within the fen increased large-scale (tens of metres) variation in habitat structure. Plant species showing significant differences in frequency between grazed and ungrazed plots after four years of grazing. Species more frequent in grazed halves of plots Celery-leaved buttercup Greater pond-sedge Common duckweed Gypsywort Pink/blue water-speedwell Purple loosestrife Reed sweet-grass Tufted forget-me-not 132 Species more frequent in ungrazed halves of plots Grazing substantially decreased densities of Desmoulin’s whorl snail. This species, though, remained widely distributed in areas within the grazing unit that the cattle did not graze. Conclusions Light grazing by Highland cattle has proved a useful method for increasing the plant species-richness and probably large-scale vegetation structure of derelict fen. It is probably also likely to slow the rate of succession to scrub. On the negative side, grazing reduced overall densities of at least some key mollusc species. These population reductions, though, have to be set against losses which would take place if the fen was left unmanaged to succeed to scrub. They also have to be set against likely increases in abundance of other important invertebrate species which benefit from more varied habitat structure. Breeding densities and
species diversity of wetland passerines increased following grazing and exceeded those in nearby mown fen. <strong>Fen</strong> grazing is, in most cases, likely to be considerably cheaper than re-instating mowing and burning of the cut material over large areas (estimated at ca. £1,600 per ha of fen mown). The cost of the grazing project has been covered by the £150/ha annual ESA payment for fen management. References Ausden, M., Hall, M., Pearson, P. and Strudwick, T. (2005). The effects of cattle grazing on tall-herb fen vegetation and molluscs. Biological Conservation, 122, 317-326. NVC communities in the grazing unit grass grass/S25 MG13 MG13/S25 S25 S26 S26/S28 S4 S5 scrub/woodland track Nettles, thistles etc water NVC Communities at the RSPB Mid Yare Reserve in the Norfolk Broads 133
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The Fen Management Handbook Edited
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Acknowledgements Production of the
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1. Introduction and Basic Principle
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Estimates of the original coverage
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Guiding principles for fen manageme
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Section 12: Fens from an Economic P
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2.1 Diversity and conservation sign
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Part of Cropple How Mire in Cumbria
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The moss flora of base-rich springs
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Bog bean growing in a transitional
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Mesotrophic openwater transition fe
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Water shrews (Neomys fodiens), also
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2.4.1 Vegetated margins of open wat
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2.4.3 Grazed or cut fen in floodpla
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2.6 Amphibians Amphibians are depen
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The mud snail Omphiscola glabra (12
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Old trees and dead wood Continuous
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Vascular plants Flat-sedge Blysmus
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3. Understanding Fen Hydrology Quan
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Groundwater discharge to fens is us
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Water Table 3.4.1.4 Spring fed fen
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3.5 Factors determining fen type 3.
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- Flooding - frequency and magnitud
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3.7 Further information and advice
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Groundwater inflow. Groundwater lev
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It is likely that groundwater disch
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Case Study 3.3 Hydro(geo)logical im
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4. Understanding Fen Nutrients Nutr
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nutrients. For example, at high con
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4.2.1 Groundwater and surface water
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4.2.3 Point and diffuse sources of
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Area of acute nutrient enrichment o
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4.4 Classifying water chemistry usi
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4.6 Identifying nutrient enrichment
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Negative indicator species for diff
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Many of the floristic changes which
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Case Study 4.1 Understanding Fen Nu
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5.1 Why do fens need management? In
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5.2 Checklist of key stages in deci
Page 79 and 80: 5.3.3 Scale Although fens are linke
Page 81 and 82: 5.4 Site survey to establish what i
Page 83 and 84: variability and how these relate to
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Page 87 and 88: - Prioritise objectives to achieve
Page 89 and 90: inundation are less likely to be sp
Page 91 and 92: 5.13 References Barsoum, N., Anders
Page 93 and 94: Case Study 5.2 Fen Management and R
Page 95 and 96: - 14km of livestock fencing install
Page 97 and 98: Case Study 5.3 Fen Management and R
Page 99 and 100: 6. Fen Management and Restoration -
Page 101 and 102: Both the benefits and potentially l
Page 103 and 104: Cattle forced by flooding to the ed
Page 105 and 106: At low/medium stocking density, cat
Page 107 and 108: Goats have narrow muzzles and a fle
Page 109 and 110: Fens usually feature a range of dif
Page 111 and 112: Excessive poaching where cattle hav
Page 113 and 114: extensive areas of wetlands which w
Page 115 and 116: ‘Soft track’ machines, such as
Page 117 and 118: The design of the pipeline allows f
Page 119 and 120: Protocol for burning standing reedb
Page 121 and 122: Long rotation scrub clearance may b
Page 123 and 124: ‘Bird-eye’ and incineration A t
Page 125 and 126: 6.7 Restoring fen meadow Many forme
Page 127 and 128: Current Management The current mana
Page 129: Case Study 6.2 Fen Vegetation Manag
Page 133 and 134: The temptation to burn large areas
Page 135 and 136: Outcomes In the eight years that th
Page 137 and 138: Anglesey sites is now underway supp
Page 139 and 140: Close grazed short sward of sedges
Page 141 and 142: Turf cutting Turf cutting has been
Page 143 and 144: 7.1 A framework to assist decision
Page 145 and 146: Surface water level change e.g. - a
Page 147 and 148: and the surface to acidify, resulti
Page 149 and 150: Smaller excavations are preferable
Page 151 and 152: Morton Lochs, which extend to appro
Page 153 and 154: Although shallow excavations are pr
Page 155 and 156: At Leighton Moss in Lancashire, are
Page 157 and 158: Excavating spoil within the area to
Page 159 and 160: uilt dams can only be formed in dit
Page 161 and 162: Case Study 7.1 Fen Water Management
Page 169 and 170: 8. Managing Fen Nutrient Enrichment
Page 171 and 172: Summary table of key techniques for
Page 173 and 174: 8.2 Managing the source of nutrient
Page 175 and 176: Marginal interceptor ditch at Cors
Page 177 and 178: 8.3.4 Bund creation In some cases i
Page 179 and 180: emoval or soil stripping, both of w
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8.5 Monitoring nutrient reduction D
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Recent photo of stripped surface sh
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9.1 Scope for fen creation The Grea
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9.3 What type of fen? New fens can
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9.5 Restraints on fen creation Plan
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9.6 Check list of issues to conside
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9.7 Site assessment Planning and de
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LIDAR maps can provide a general un
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generally more acidic than silts an
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Site visits and careful assessment
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9.8.4 Plastic membranes On sites wi
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Use of seed bombs ‘Seed bombs’
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Experience has shown that the most
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9.10.2 Creation of niches for plant
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Meade, R. & Wheeler, B.D. 2007. Rai
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- On-going measurement of the effec
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with appropriate training. Providin
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10.3 Biological monitoring techniqu
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Undesirable species for key NVC com
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10.3.3 Vegetation Mapping An initia
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It is good practise to record with
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10.4 Biological monitoring techniqu
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for Ornithology, the Bat Conservati
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Box 2: Construction, installation a
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10.8 Monitoring surface water flows
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- Phytometric tests measure how wel
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Storage of data and information on
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period, simply because it is design
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Another consideration is the likely
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11.1 An historical perspective Poll
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Inviting volunteer involvement in f
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11.3.3 Stakeholders ‘Stakeholders
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have been designated under access a
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11.6.4 Boardwalks Boardwalks are no
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11.6.5 Water borne access Waterways
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- Explore opportunities to stimulat
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Case Study 11.1 Fens and people - S
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Case Study 11.2 Fens and People - H
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12. Fens from an Economic Perspecti
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12.1.3 Biomass energy and Biofuels
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12.2 Environmental regulation 12.2.
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the peat carbon store is depleted t
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Another mechanism for funding wetla
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Whitlaw Mosses in Scotland (see det
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12.8 References Dickie, I., Hughes,
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Nitrogen fixation conversion of gas
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Appendix III - List of species refe
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Table 1 - Mammal species associated
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280 Bittern Botaurus stellaris All
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Grasshopper Warbler 282 Locustella
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Table 4 - Fish species associated w
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Table 5 - Legally protected inverte
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288 Community Topogenous fens S24 P
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290 Community S8 Scirpus lacustris
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292 Community M11 Carex demissa - S
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294 Community M23 Juncus effusus /
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Appendix V - Legal and regulatory c
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298 Type of Works Guidance for UK C
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Appendix VI - Fen management for br
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However, three of the four species
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Sensitive periods Harvest mice bree
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species like bittern, and then drop
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Sensitive periods Species breed wit
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Great Crested Newt Great crested ne
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Appendix VIII - Fen management for
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Mollusca (snails, slugs and mussels
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Other than for rare or exceptional
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There is usually some degree of sub
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Management requirements for protect
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Appendix IX - Further reading Secti
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Koerselman, W., Bakker, S.A. & Blom
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Section 5: Fen Management and Resto
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Patzelt, A, Wild, U. and Jörg Pfad
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Index A access 103, 110, 190, 226,
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cutting 114 disposal 117 management
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Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

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