Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

palaeo-environmental evidence which can be used to reconstruct various aspects of
environmental and cultural history. This is a finite, fragile and non-renewable resource,
and one which is becoming more valuable to society with time, because of our
developing need to understand historical climatic variations and cultural responses in
the context of current climate change. Preservation of this resource is usually entirely
compatible with habitat conservation, which normally involves maintenance of high
water levels within a site. In turn this promotes anaerobic conditions and preservation
of artefacts at greater depths within the substrate. The value of preservation services
is realised almost exclusively through indirect funding such as agri-environment grants.
12.6 External funding sources for fen management and restoration
12.6.1 European and UK government funding
The European Union moved away from production subsidies in the latter half of the
20th Century, with the present emphasis being on countryside management for
environmental benefits. Participation in the current financial support package aimed
at farming businesses, the Single Farm Payment (SFP) scheme, requires compulsory
compliance with a basic programme of land management. Subject to compliance
with SFP requirements, farmers can choose to apply for further financial support
for the creation and management of high value habitat through a menu of options.
Owners and managers with demonstrable agricultural use, for example grazed wildlife
reserves, are also eligible to apply for these schemes.
RDPs offer financial rewards for good stewardship and management of the land to
improve the quality of the environment, but also include options and priorities for
economic development and other priorities. RDPs are replacing many of the previous
agri-environment schemes such as Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) and Rural
Stewardship. In Scotland, the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) is
the new single umbrella for funding. The Rural Development Programme for England
(RDPE) includes Environmental Stewardship (ES). The Welsh parallel is Tir Gofal (to
be replaced in 2012 by Glastir). Across the water, RDP takes the form of the Northern
Ireland Countryside Management Scheme.
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, there is an open ‘entry-level’ scheme that
requires the enactment of a general maintenance plan for farmland habitat such as
hedgerows, with either a separate higher-level scheme or additional payments for
management and creation of semi-natural habitat, including fen. The higher level
payments are discretionary, highly targeted, and from a limited budget.
Applications compete on the basis of their potential biodiversity and public amenity
benefits. The schemes are complex, offering annual maintenance or creation
payments, together with a range of payments for capital items such as sluices,
scrapes, fencing, car parking and public access provision. Site-specific advice is
provided through the regional offices of the various national bodies such as DEFRA in
England, or the SRDP in Scotland. Support and information is also available through
the websites of SNH, NE, CCW and Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage
Service. In England and Wales, the advisory service offered by the Farming and
Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) includes survey and production of agri-environment
applications.
The area-based rates for management, restoration or creation of habitat are based
on a percentage of the notional income that is foregone by not farming intensively,
typically ranging from 60% to 98%. At the time of writing, fen management or
restoration in England attracted grant of £60/ha/yr for 10 years, potentially with
grazing or cutting supplementary payments. Creation of fen from arable or intensively
managed grassland could qualify for payments of £380/ha/yr. Similar rates apply to
reed-beds and there are optional payments for pond management.
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