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