Fen Management Handbook - Scottish Natural Heritage

Objectives of restoration:
– To restore a groundwater-fed calcareous valley fen complex with associated
wet and dry acid habitats, including restoration of river levels and river corridor
habitat.
– Achieve better habitat protection for the fen raft spider.
– Provide a demonstration wetland site as an example to others, showing that
major habitat problems can be resolved through environmental partnerships*.
– Ensure that a relocated, replacement borehole provides a secure water supply
without damaging nearby wetlands.
– Promote the project to the public through education, improved access to the fen,
and high-profile publicity.
*Project partners are Suffolk Wildlife Trust, Essex and Suffolk Water, Environment Agency and Natural
England. The project received 50% funding from the European Union’s LIFE fund, and won the Natura
2000 Eurosite Award for technical achievement in wetland restoration.
Techniques
Relocation of the water supply borehole:
– Alternative borehole locations were tested; two proved suitable. The chosen
site had longevity of water supply and minimum detrimental effect on wetland
hydrology in the local area.
– Land was acquired and a new borehole was constructed, being commissioned
in July 1999.
– Monitoring was instigated to record the response. Ongoing water level
monitoring of over 50 dipwells has built up a detailed dataset that has been
used in the redevelopment of catchment groundwater models used by the
Environment Agency.
Restoration of the River Waveney:
– A sluice was re-instated to set a higher water level and have far greater
control on channel height throughout the year. An additional sluice was also
constructed and commissioned further downriver to protect hydrology of the
eastern region of the fen.
– Flood embankments were created along tributary ditches to prevent them
flooding into the fen. Shallow ledges were created for water vole population
recovery and expansion.
– Advice was given to improve water quality in the catchment and abatement
notices issued. Recent advisory work in the immediate catchment has focused
on Environmental Stewardship HLS uptake.
Restoration of the fen:
– Rotted and enriched peat has been scraped and removed over 23 hectares
using specialist low-ground pressure machinery, retained as embankments and
public access paths in some areas, and otherwise removed entirely from site.
– Scrub was removed over 77 hectares, with timber being sold to a number of
outlets including local charcoal merchants, and woodchip sold to biofuel power
stations or as a garden mulch All stumps were removed from peat soils, or
otherwise ground out on mineral soils.
– Restoration sedge cutting, forage harvesting of tall-herb fen vegetation and
flailing of young scrub re-growth has all been implemented to accompany the
predominant management technique of extensive grazing.
96