Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

5.8.2 WETMECs
WETMEC descriptions (see 5.4.1 above) may also help identify how a particular
site should relate to particular hydrological circumstances and what might be
required to restore the relationship. It may not be possible to restore a particular
type of fen for example where connections with an essential supply of groundwater
have been severed, but every opportunity should be explored to retain hydrologically
sustainable fens, or return them to desirable condition.
5.8.3 Designated sites
Benchmarks for setting conservation objectives on statutory sites are provided
by the JNCC (http://www.jncc.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=2235 ). They provide
guidance on quality criteria for all wetland types, using NVC communities and the
plants that occur most frequently within them. The actual species used as indicators
of favourable condition can be made site-specific, and this is where accurate and
recent site survey information is important.
Statutory nature conservation bodies carry out condition assessments on
SSSI/ASSIs every few years, based on habitats and species known to be present.
Depending on the type and level of detail of survey undertaken, this may help
provide some pointers on fen management.
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In general, the more diverse range of habitats present on a site, the
greater the diversity of associated vertebrate and invertebrate species.
Management should therefore aim to maximise the diversity of habitats
present, appropriate to the locality and without compromising delivery of
habitat conditions and area for those habitats, features and species that
take priority (e.g. features for which a site is designated). The size of the
site is of key importance, as trying to maintain a large number of habitat
types on a small site may result in patch size being too small to support
the full range of species.
5.8.4 Establishing priorities for fen management and restoration
Nationally and internationally, wetland conservation aims to maintain examples of
all fen types. However, management to enhance one type of habitat may be to
the detriment of another. For example, scrub clearance will result in loss of wet
woodland, but it will be replaced with a type of open fen.
The UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UKBAP) identifies a number of Habitat Action
Plans (HAPs) and Species Action Plans (SAPs) which can help with management
decisions. The two most relevant priority habitats are Lowland Fens and Upland
Fens, Flushes and Swamps, for which a series of actions and targets to improve the
conservation status of habitats has been written (www.ukbap.org.uk).
Guidance supporting the Lowland Fens HAP aims to ensure that the full range of
fens is considered when embarking on fen restoration or creation. In addition it is
important to ensure that rare hydro-geological situations with potential to support
equally rare types of fen are not ‘wasted’ creating habitat easily created in a wide
range of situations.