Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

Management rationale
The essence of the New Forest mires is that they are open, groundwater-fed fens,
a small central watercourse being characteristically flanked by the seepage fen.
The valley floor may have developed poor fen and wet woodland on deeper peat in
sumps. This component is at risk from headward erosion, and the whole at risk from
afforestation.
Techniques
The woodland was felled and the eroding drainage channel was filled in using small
clay plugs. Between these plugs heather bales (produced as part of the ongoing
management of nearby areas of dry heathland) were staked down in the channel
and covered over with remnant bank spoil associated with the original drainage, as
outlined in the sketch below.
Outcomes
The immediate result of this work was to bring the water table back up to the
surface of the remnant mire. This was soon followed by colonisation of the surface
of the infilled drain (the spoil-covered heather bales) with typical soakway mire
vegetation.
Plans for the future
Stony Moors is one example of the dozens of mires that have been restored by the
Forestry Commission in the New Forest SSSI in the last decade. As part of the
ongoing programme of SSSI restoration the Forestry Commission is continuing
to develop and apply a range of materials and methods to safeguard previously
damaged mire and stream habitats.
Drain and secondary woodland Felled woodland
Immediately after drain infill showing heather bales and clay plugs (left) and same location in autumn 2008 showing habitat recovery (right)
References
Sanderson, N.A. 1998. Description and evaluation of New Forest grasslands and
mires. Contract report for English Nature.
Wright, R.N. & Westerhoff, D.V., 2001. New Forest SAC Management Plan.
Lyndhurst. English Nature.
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