Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

Other information about visitors – their interests, expectations, where they have
come from and what has prompted them to visit the fen – is also invaluable in
planning and effective management of access, interpretation and other physical
infrastructure. Management for People (Scottish Natural Heritage, 2004)
recommends a range of questions which can help to identify the special attractions
of a site. A Sense of Place (Tourism and Environment Initiative, 2001) suggests
ways to collect information about visitors’ attitudes to interpretation of the site.
Combining both types of survey and repeating them at relatively long intervals,
perhaps every 5 years, can be a cost effective way of collecting information.
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Experience of visitor monitoring on fens
At Ranworth Broad NNR the Norfolk Wildlife Trust visitor centre is only
open for seven months, so the 18-20,000 visitors recorded at the centre
is an under-estimate of the number of people visiting the reserve: many
more people use the boardwalk out of hours and out of season.
11.5 Providing for public access on fens
11.6.1 Legal rights of access
The provision of access
to fens and other wetland
habitats allows people
to enjoy the wildlife
and the landscape but
needs to be managed
and maintained for the
safety of both visitors and
the environment. Here a
boardwalk invites visitors
to explore Hickling Broad
National Nature Reserve
(Nick Droy)
Within the UK there are important variations in peoples’ right of access to land and
water. The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 confirmed a right of responsible nonvehicular
access to most land and inshore waters in Scotland for recreation, and
heritage education, including commercial operations based on these activities. People
exercising rights of access must do so responsibly, in accordance with the Scottish
Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) (http://www.snh.gov.uk/enjoying-the-outdoors/
your-access-rights). The SOAC highlights the need for people to avoid damaging
property, crops and the environment, stresses the importance of not interfering with
land management operations, and also summarises land managers’ responsibilities in
relation to public access.
Elsewhere in the UK access rights to land are much more restricted to designated
rights of way (footpaths, bridleways and byways). Moorland and commons which
enjoy open access rights are shown on the Countryside Access websites for England
Natural England – Open Access land and Wales www.ccw.gov.uk/enjoying-thecountry/countryside-access-map.aspx.
In Northern Ireland some open access areas