Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

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Case Study 11.3
Fens and People
– Whitlaw Mosses
Whitlaw Mosses, in the Scottish Borders, comprises four separate fens. Part is
designated as an NNR, one of the three purposes of which is to raise national
awareness of nature conservation, so there is some pressure to accommodate
visitors and ensure minimum standards are met. However, despite promotion on the
SNH website, Whitlaw Mosses receives relatively few visitors.
Existing access and target audience
Very narrow boardwalks allow access for monitoring and research. The boards
are only 200 mm wide, supported on softwood bearers, and anyone stepping off
them would be knee-deep in the fen. Under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003,
the general public have a right of access to the site so new safety notices have
been erected warning anyone walking on the boardwalks of the associated risks.
Otherwise the most frequent visitors are specialist groups. One or two ranger-led
walks are held each year. The strategic aim is to focus visitor facilities on Murder
Moss (pictured below), where the grassland margin is better suited to visitor
access.
At Whitlaw Mosses
National Nature Reserve,
access is carefully
managed for safety reasons
and to avoid damaging the
fragile environment
(A. McBride)
Key stakeholders
Key stakeholders in the site are neighbouring farmers, whose involvement in
catchment management is critical to reducing nutrient enrichment of the fen
(for further details see Case Study 6.1).
Future plans
There is potential in future to involve some of the 80-100 other basin mires in the
area in the interpretative story.