Buckinghamshire & Milton Keynes Biodiversity Action Plan Fens Habitat Action Plan Reedbeds Habitat Action Plan

Fens Reedbeds

Key associated species

Bittern Otter Blunt Flowered Rush Reed Bunting Brown Galingale Reed Warbler Common Tern Sedge Warbler Curlew Snipe Grass Snake Teal Great Crested Newt Water Rail Green Sandpiper Water Shrew Marsh Fern Water Vole Marsh Helleborine Yellow Loosestrife

Fens and reedbeds (including marsh and swamp) represent small areas of wetland habitat scattered throughout Buckinghamshire. These habitats tend to be restricted to places that are difficult to drain. They can occur around the margins of lakes or in the floodplains of rivers or can be what were once standing open water but have been gradually filled in by encroaching vegetation.

The North Bucks fens are base-rich, soligenous fens, the water movement being predominantly lateral. Swamp is characterised by water table levels that are at, or above, the surface of the vegetation for most of the year. Swamps normally exhibit a species-poor vegetation when compared with fens. Marsh refers to vegetation occurring on mineral soil that has a water table close to the surface for most of the year, but not usually above ground level. Reedbeds are fens or swamps dominated by stands of common reed.

These fragments of natural wetland habitats are of immense importance for nature conservation, supporting plants and animals that are specially adapted and entirely reliant on the habitat for their survival.

1 Current status in the UK

Biological status

1.1 Large areas of wetland habitats in the UK have been lost to changes in agricultural practices. Fen, marsh, swamp and reedbed are widespread and scattered throughout the UK. The UK is thought to host a large proportion of the fen surviving in the EU. In other parts of Europe fen vegetation has declined dramatically in the past century. Intensive farming has resulted in the drainage of formerly wet areas

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and their pollution owing to run-off from farms. Management of rivers and their catchment areas has contributed to the loss, although recent management has been more sympathetic.

1.2 Swamps are species-poor vegetation types, characteristic of open- water transitions with permanently or seasonally submerged substrates. Fens, marsh, swamp and reedbed vegetation communities are covered as swamp and tall-herb fens in Volume 4 of the National Vegetation Classification.

1.3 Reedbeds are fens or swamps dominated by common reed. In the UK they are geographically important in a global context and support characteristic communities of national important birds and invertebrates. There are about 5,000 ha of reedbeds in the UK but of the 900 or so sites contributing to this total only about 50 are greater than 20 ha, and these make a large contribution to the total area.

2 Current status in Buckinghamshire

Cover and distribution 2.1 Fens and reedbeds are a nationally scarce habitat and have been identified as priority habitat types by the UK Biodiversity Group. Reedbeds, in particular, support characteristic nationally uncommon and rare birds and invertebrates. The North Bucks Fens support a number of locally uncommon vascular plant species.

2.2 The main vegetation-type for which the North Bucks fens are important is a form of base-rich fen meadow assigned to the NVC unit M22. This accommodates considerable floristic variation and the fens collectively support a number of locally uncommon species but few nationally uncommon taxa. However, both marsh helleborine and blunt-flowered rush meet the criteria suggested for national rarity in fen species. Information on the condition of the North Bucks Fens was published as a report to the Thames and Chilterns Team of English Nature (B D Wheeler 1996) and in Journal of Applied Ecology (B D Wheeler 1988).

2.3 A Phase 1 survey has been undertaken for The Greensand Trust area. Target notes from this survey and the national BAP for wetlands provide a source of information on marsh areas and wet areas. The Greensand Natural Area within Buckinghamshire possesses nine sites that support wetland interest.

2.4 Fens and reedbeds are not widespread in Buckinghamshire. The majority of fens are situated in central North Bucks, with the majority occurring at, or near, the headwaters of small stream valleys (valleyhead fens). A total of 19 sites were surveyed as part of the North Bucks Fen survey (Wheeler, 1996) in order to assess their current condition and identify changes that had occurred since previous

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surveys in the 1970’s. Assessment for the areas of nine of the 19 fen sites has been provided and these sites cover a total area of 10 ha.

2.5 Fen communities are present at a number of SSSIs such as , Kingcup Meadows, Pilch Fields, and Tingewick Meadows. (mostly in Hertfordshire) and Weston Turville Reservoir have reedbeds present.

The largest areas of reedbed within the County are generally part of SSSIs but there are no available figures for the extent of the reedbeds within these areas. Small, isolated, linear strips of reedstand occur in the County along canals and around gravel pits and reservoirs.

2.6 Wet flushes and ponds on used to support starfruit and small fleabane, both Red Data Book species. Marsh areas are present on the SSSIs at and

2.7 The Wolverton gravel extraction site in Milton Keynes is to be restored into a floodplain forest – including extensive (for the county) areas of reedbed.

Trends

2.7 The close association between wetland habitats and watercourses has meant that the threats and changes that have been attributed to the degradation of watercourses have also greatly affected the marshes and fens of the County. Land drainage, infill and lowering of ground water levels have brought about losses of many of these important wetland habitats.

2.8 The North Bucks fen survey (Wheeler, 1996) revealed a deterioration to some degree for nine of the 19 sites surveyed. The estimate of deterioration was subjective, based on comparison of the current condition with records from the 1970s.

3 Current factors affecting the habitat

Drainage and infilling 3.1 This can be for reclamation and agriculture.

Pollution 3.2 This can include eutrophication from fertiliser run-off, chemical spillage and increased levels of effluent from sewage and water treatment works.

Changes in the water table 3.3 This can be due to excessive ground water and surface water abstraction.

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Climate change 3.4 This may result in different hydrological regimes and extreme environmental effects.

Lack of appropriate management 3.5 If these sites are not managed, succession will occur and woody species such as willow and alder will invade.

4 Current action

Legal status 4.1 The majority of the larger reedbeds are within sites designated as SSSIs. Many of the remaining sites are managed as part of nature reserves. No protection is available to linear tracts of reedbeds unless they are part of a Wildlife Site.

4.2 Of the fen sites in the North Bucks survey 9 sites are designated as Local Wildlife Sites and 2 lie within SSSIs.

Management, research and guidance 4.3 The SSSI reservoirs that support reedbeds are Tring and Weston Turville. British Waterways own Weston Turville Reservoir with management of the SSSI undertaken by the Wildlife Trust.

4.4 Environmental Stewardship (HLS) has options that target reedbed and fen maintenance and restoration

5 Objectives

5.1 It is important that Habitat Action Plan objectives and actions are considered in conjunction with those in Generic Issues (see Generic Issues). All Generic objectives and actions apply to each individual Habitat Action Plan.

The Fens and Reedbeds HAPs will contribute to the following targets in the UK BAP

Fens

T1 Maintain the current extent of the UK fen resource and diversity of fen types (see fen types 1-8). This target represents a "no loss" of habitat.

T2 Maintain condition of fen habitat where already favourable and establish by 2010, management to secure favourable condition for all areas of fen currently judged as unfavourable. The target condition for all such areas should be favourable or unfavourable recovering by 2020.

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T3 Initiate by 2020, the restoration of 2,800 ha of former fen habitat across the UK.

T4 Establish 8 new landscape scale wetland complexes by 2020, at least 1 in each country in which fen is a major component along other wetland types and in which successional processes within the fen are allowed to proceed unchecked. This cross-refers to targets in the uplands, lowland raised bog, wet woodlands and reedbed HAPs. (Contributes to T3)

Reedbeds

T1 Maintain the extent of the existing resource of BAP habitat by active management and with no net loss (priority will be to maintain blocks of greater than 2ha, where appropriate). Links to Bittern SAP

T2 Maintain the condition of wet reedbed habitat where already favourable and establish by 2010, management to secure favourable condition for all areas of targeted reedbed currently judged as unfavourable. The target condition for all such areas should be favourable or unfavourable recovering by 2020.

T3 Continue creating reedbed from land of low nature conservation interest with the objective of expanding the BAP resource by 3,000 ha across the UK by 2020.

T4 Establish 8 new landscape scale wetland complexes by 2020, at least 1 in each country in which reedbed is a major component along other wetland types. This cross-refers to targets in the uplands, lowland raised bog, wet woodlands, fen and C&FPGM HAPs. (Contributes to T3)

6. Biodiversity Opportunity Areas

Fens are likely to be priority habitats in the following Biodiversity Opportunity Areas

• Bernwood • Central Chilterns Chalk Rivers • Chess Valley • Claydon & Padbury Streams • Colne Valley • Greensand Ridge • Ouse Valley • South Bucks Heaths & Parklands • Thame Valley • Thames Valley • Tingewick Meadows

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• Whaddon Chase

Reedbeds are likely to be priority habitats in the following Biodiversity Opportunity Areas

• Ashridge and Ivinghoe Beacon • Colne Valley • Milton Keynes City • Ouse Valley • Ouzel Valley • Thames Valley

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National Target Code Target Action Start End Action location Lead Other Orgs Target Baseline total T1 - Maintain the current extent of F1 Maintain extent of fen the UK fen resource and diversity habitat in Bucks of fen types (see fen types 1-8). This target represents a "no loss" of habitat “(some loss of fen to woodland or bog as a result of natural succession is desirable). F1/1 Monitor and maintain extent of fen 2007 2010 Aylesbury Vale TBC AVDC NE 62.9 62.9 ha habitat in Aylesbury Vale BCC ha F1/2 Monitor and maintain extent of fen 2007 2010 Chiltern TBC CDC NE X ha X habitat in Chiltern F1/3 Monitor and maintain extent of fen 2007 2010 Milton Keynes TBC MKC NE BCC X ha X habitat in Milton Keynes F1/4 Monitor and maintain extent of fen 2007 2010 South Bucks TBC SBDC NE 2.9 ha 2.9 ha habitat in South Bucks F1/5 Monitor and maintain extent of fen 2007 2010 Wycombe TBC WDC NE X ha X habitat in Wycombe T2 - Maintain condition of fen F2 Maintain condition of fen habitat where already favourable habitat in Bucks and establish by 2010, management to secure favourable condition for all areas of fen currently judged as unfavourable. The target condition for all such areas should be favourable or unfavourable recovering by 2020. F2/1 Maintain condition of fen habitat in 2007 2010 Aylesbury Vale TBC AVDC NE 62.9 X Aylesbury Vale ha F2/2 Maintain condition of fen habitat in 2007 2010 Chiltern TBC CDC NE X ha X Chiltern F2/3 Maintain condition of fen habitat in 2007 2010 Milton Keynes TBC MKC NE X ha X Milton Keynes

F2/4 Maintain condition of fen habitat in 2007 2010 South Bucks TBC SBDC NE 2.9 ha X South Bucks BCC CoL ha F2/5 Maintain condition of fen habitat in 2007 2010 Wycombe TBC WDC NE X ha X Wycombe F2/6 Prioritise undesignated fens for Local 2007 2010 Bucks & Milton BMKB BCC CDC X ha X Wildlife Sites status Keynes P MKC SBDC AVDC WDC

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T3 - Initiate by 2020, the F3 Incorporate fens in new restoration of 3,475ha of former wetland habitats within fen habitat across the UK. design of at least one T4 - Establish 8 new landscape new development in scale wetland complexes by each Local Authority by 2020, at least 1 in each country in 2010, with an aim to link which fen is a major component habitats preserved along other wetland types and in within the new which successional processes development within the fen are allowed to proceed unchecked. This cross- refers to targets in the uplands, lowland raised bog, wet woodlands and reedbed HAPs. (Include in T3) F3/1 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 Aylesbury Vale TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in Aylesbury Vale F3/2 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 Chiltern TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in Chiltern F3/3 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 Milton Keynes TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in Milton Keynes F3/4 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 South Bucks TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in South Bucks F3/5 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 Wycombe TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in Wycombe F4 Create or enhance fen habitat in at least 1 wetland reserve in each Local Authority F4/1 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 Aylesbury Vale TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in Aylesbury Vale F4/2 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 Chiltern TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in Chiltern F4/3 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 Milton Keynes TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in Milton Keynes F4/4 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 South Bucks TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in South Bucks F4/5 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 Wycombe TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in Wycombe

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National Target Code Target Action Start End Action location Lead Other Orgs Target Baseline total T1 - Maintain the extent of the R1 Maintain extent of 2007 2010 existing resource of BAP habitat reedbed habitat in Bucks by active management and with no net loss, 80% of which is in blocks of greater than 2ha.

R1/1 Monitor and maintain extent of reedbed 2007 2010 Aylesbury Vale TBC AVDC NE X ha X habitat in Aylesbury Vale BCC R1/2 Monitor and maintain extent of reedbed 2007 2010 Chiltern TBC CDC NE X ha X habitat in Chiltern R1/3 Monitor and maintain extent of reedbed 2007 2010 Milton Keynes TBC MKC NE BCC 1.5 ha 1.5 ha habitat in Milton Keynes R1/4 Monitor and maintain extent of reedbed 2007 2010 South Bucks TBC SBDC NE X ha X habitat in South Bucks R1/5 Monitor and maintain extent of reedbed 2007 2010 Wycombe TBC WDC NE X ha X habitat in Wycombe T2 - Maintain the condition of wet R2 Maintain condition of 2007 2010 reedbed habitat where already reedbed habitat in Bucks favourable and establish by 2010, management to secure favourable condition for all areas of targeted reedbed currently judged as unfavourable. The target condition for all such areas should be favourable or unfavourable recovering by 2020. R2/1 Maintain condition of reedbed habitat in 2007 2010 Aylesbury Vale TBC AVDC NE X ha X Aylesbury Vale BCC R2/2 Maintain condition of reedbed habitat in 2007 2010 Chiltern TBC CDC NE X ha X Chiltern R2/3 Maintain condition of reedbed habitat in 2007 2010 Milton Keynes TBC MKC NE BCC X ha 1.5ha Milton Keynes R2/4 Maintain condition of reedbed habitat in 2007 2010 South Bucks TBC SBDC NE X ha X South Bucks R2/5 Maintain condition of reedbed habitat in 2007 2010 Wycombe TBC WDC NE X ha X Wycombe

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T3 – Continue creating reedbed R3 Incorporate reedbeds in 2007 2010 from land of low nature new wetland habitats conservation interest with the within design of at least objective of achieving a total BAP one new development in resource of 2,800 ha across the each Local Authority by UK by 2020. 2010, with an aim to link T4 - Establish 8 new landscape habitats preserved scale wetland complexes by within the new 2020, at least 1 in each country in development which reedbed is a major component along other wetland types. This cross-refers to targets in the uplands, lowland raised bog, wet woodlands, fen and C&FPGM HAPs. (Include in T3) R3/1 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 Aylesbury Vale TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in Aylesbury Vale R3/2 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 Chiltern TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in Chiltern R3/3 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 Milton Keynes TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in Milton Keynes R3/4 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 South Bucks TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in South Bucks R3/5 Incorporate new wetland habitats within 2007 2010 Wycombe TBC BMKBP X ha X design of at least one new development in Wycombe R4 Create or enhance 2007 2010 reedbed in at least 1 wetland reserve in each Local Authority R4/1 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 Aylesbury Vale TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in Aylesbury Vale R4/2 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 Chiltern TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in Chiltern R4/3 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 Milton Keynes TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in Milton Keynes R4/4 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 South Bucks TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in South Bucks R4/5 Create or enhance at least 1 wetland 2007 2010 Wycombe TBC BMKBP X ha X reserve in Wycombe

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