Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

5. Site Assessment for Fen Management and
Restoration
The Introduction to this handbook (Section 1) set the scene for
fen management and restoration in describing the significant
loss of fen habitat since the 18th century, through drainage and
subsequent intensive management for agriculture and latterly
abandonment. Conserving and restoring the fens which are left
is therefore all the more critical, but as a result of changes in the
cultural and economic landscape, today’s fen manager has many
issues to grapple with.
This section explains why fens need management, offers some
guidance on setting objectives and a step-by-step guide to site
assessment, and then provides a framework for deciding what
kind of fen, or what stage in succession, management should aim
for. More detailed guidance on the practicalities of management
is provided in Section 6: Fen Vegetation Management, Section 7:
Fen Water Management, and Section 8: Managing Fen Nutrient
Enrichment.
Fen management for mosses and liverworts, and for specific
types of insect, bird, reptile or mammal, are fascinating but
specialist subjects. Detailed requirements of these types of
flora and fauna, and guidance on how best to manage fens in
their favour, is included in Appendix VI Fen Management for
Bryophytes, Appendix VII Fen Management for Vertebrates, and
Appendix VIII Fen Management for Invertebrates.
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