Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage
Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage
Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage
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194<br />
Information<br />
required/issues to<br />
be considered<br />
Surrounding<br />
landownership/use<br />
Why Where from<br />
Adjacent land (and its ownership) may<br />
affect fen function, or be affected by it e.g.<br />
is adjacent land being actively drained<br />
and/or under conventional agricultural<br />
production? Are there other similar wetland<br />
habitats nearby that may link biologically<br />
or hydrologically with the planned site and<br />
form a broader more robust area of seminatural<br />
habitat?<br />
Climate Climate data will inform early stages of<br />
feasibility scoping in fen creation e.g. will<br />
there be enough water? How quickly will<br />
it evaporate from open water sources?<br />
Climate change predictions suggest that<br />
the pattern of rainfall and evapotranspiration<br />
is likely to change across the UK in<br />
future, and such changes will need to be<br />
incorporated into any calculations. Expert<br />
advice should be sought at an early stage<br />
from a professional hydrologist.<br />
Finances/resources Early estimates of cost and resource<br />
implication will be essential to determine<br />
scope of fen creation projects and<br />
subsequent management. External funding<br />
or partnership working will be required or<br />
desirable<br />
Knowledge Gather information upon which to base<br />
plans, learn from experience elsewhere<br />
to avoid repeating mistakes and ensure<br />
best chance of success. Also to share/<br />
disseminate your own experience with/to<br />
others.<br />
Local community May have strong views about proposals.<br />
In some cases there may be issues or<br />
concerns which need to be addressed<br />
in order to build support for a project. In<br />
other cases input from local community can<br />
strengthen or improve planned projects,<br />
and help with sourcing and obtaining<br />
funding, establishing volunteer networks to<br />
assist with management or monitoring and<br />
providing opportunities for public enjoyment<br />
of the site (see Section 11: People and<br />
<strong>Fen</strong>s).<br />
Landowners/graziers/<br />
contractors<br />
<strong>Fen</strong> creation often involves contracting<br />
in manpower and machinery from others<br />
e.g. fencing, groundwork, and later<br />
grazing. Local contractors will normally<br />
have better knowledge of the area, have<br />
suitable equipment and in some cases be<br />
significantly more cost effective. They may<br />
also have invaluable experience of similar<br />
work on other sites which can help inform<br />
your plans<br />
Local farming/landowning groups<br />
such as NFU, CLA/SRPBA, local<br />
BAP networks, local authority<br />
Expert advice should be sought at<br />
an early stage from a professional<br />
hydrologist.<br />
Statutory conservation agencies,<br />
voluntary environmental organisations<br />
and others who have undertaken<br />
similar projects in advance. Local<br />
authority funding advisers/coordinators.<br />
Consult widely with others who have<br />
carried out similar projects in the<br />
past, including statutory conservation<br />
agencies and voluntary environmental<br />
organisations<br />
Local community groups, local<br />
councils, statutory conservation<br />
agencies, conservation organisations<br />
Local machinery rings, farmer<br />
and contractors groups. Other<br />
site managers including statutory<br />
conservation agencies, environmental<br />
organisations, local authorities (e.g.<br />
countryside rangers)
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