There are two distinct management areas for this feature and both have different management requirements.

The water table on the Freshwater Marsh is presumed contiguous with the dune water table up through Seacroft Golf Course.  Management of the water table on one site may effect the other equally.  Good communication lines are established with the Golf Course management board and greenkeepers and should be maintained.

The Environment Agency are undertaking a review of consented activities which may effect candidate SAC’s.  Of particular relevance to this feature are any activities which may influence the water table, eg abstraction.

Low density cattle grazing is practised on the Freshwater Marsh between July and September (one per hectare) to maintain the sward.  Grazing over a long period in this fashion thus reduces impact on flowering herbs and invertebrates.  This regime should result in extensive areas of grazed sward less than five centimetres average height and isolated tussocks of coarse vegetation, mostly Juncus.  These Juncus stands are preferred by nesting waders and form refuges for invertebrates. Dunging and poaching also provide positive benefits for invertebrates and a food source for wader chicks.  However, Ivermectin loads negatively impact on dung invertebrate communities and should be avoided.  Excessive poaching by cattle may dictate the timing of their removal during the autumn as the water table rises.  Mere Four Acres may be used as a run-off grazing enclosure if necessary but prolonged access to the Mere margins is to be avoided through temporary electric fencing.  The extension of cattle-grazing into the Measures central slack has achieved positive results in the sward composition and structure, although this has so far been reliant upon containment within temporary electric fencing.  Permanent stockfencing of the whole Measures compartment will enable livestock to maintain and enhance a large tract of mixed scrub, grey dune and slack.  Within this site, cattle are likely to target the slack areas initially and it is envisaged that some areas of hitherto rank slack and inundation grassland will be enhanced.  The physical action of cattle on scrub, coupled with grazing and poaching should provide a satisfactory management regime here and negate the need for an annual mowing programme.  The logistics of this future grazing regime need to be determined, and in the first instance, a cautious approach should be taken.  Ultimately, It may prove logical to employ a greater number of stock to graze Measures and the Freshwater Marsh continuously, rather than moving a smaller herd between the two sites over the same period.  Adequate provision of fresh water will need to be maintained.

Sheep have been drafted in to clear up coarse areas left by cattle in the autumn and this has achieved a good result during the winter months.  Mere meadow is also managed with sheep after a hay crop is taken, providing growth is sufficient.  Rabbits may impact here though.

Following the blocking of farm drains, the maintenance of the water table has been more satisfactory over a larger hydrological unit (including the Freshwater Marsh).  In addition, unusual summer rainfall in recent years has perpetuated damp conditions well into the summer.  Where high winter water tables are maintained, the extent of slack and inundation communities is enhanced through the undulating landscape.  Thus the extent of transitional zones is also well maintained.  High levels will also suppress scrub invasion and deter rabbits from colonising as well as providing more attractive conditions for breeding waders eg lapwing and redshank.  Prolonged flooding may affect soil- dwelling invertebrates, but the undulating nature of the landform here will allow a retreat to higher ground.  Where excessive winter flooding occurs, impeding public access for example, surplus water may be run off via two valves in the Bulldog Bank.  Much of the surface water is soon lost with the first drying winds in spring, so a cautious approach to water run-off is necessary in the absence of a controllable freshwater input.  In spring 2001 atypical winter precipitation resulted in extensive flooding of the freshwater marsh.  The dams on Croftmarsh drains may also have affected levels.  During the latter part of the winter and early spring it became necessary to draw down the water table through the Bulldog Bank.  This operation is hampered by high tide sequences.  More work needs to be undertaken to increase our understanding of the hydrology of the site and the relationship of water tables across Croftmarsh and the NNR.  It is envisaged that assistance and advice will be sought from IDB/EA.

Where possible, mowing operations have been or will be replaced through appropriate grazing regimes.  The largest of which will be the Measures grazing enclosure.  Annual cutting will continue to be practised on Mere Meadow if a summer hay crop is sufficient.  In addition, the verges of the Mill Pond Road will be cut and raked during the late summer.

The Borrow Pits are managed on a rotational basis, with each of the seven compartments cleared every seven years (as a guide).  Thus, all stages of vegetative colonisation are represented, from open water to dense stands of sea club rush/reed.

Other dykes and ditches are similarly managed to the borrow pits on a maximum of 30% annually for each section.  Consideration is given to leaving occasional patches of bankside/overhanging scrub which is favoured by water voles, waterbirds and invertebrates.  Indeed, slubbing operations may have to be modified following asessment of any potential impact on water vole populations. Ponds may require manual clearance of algae/blanketweed when this becomes oppressive during the summer months.  Periodic management by slubbing is then carried out as required during the autumn, although no more than 50% of any pond will be managed in any year.  Slubbing and cutting operations are carried out in September or October, following the end of the breeding season and prior to the dormant period for amphibians, invertebrates etc.  The disposal of excavated material is a problem in places.  It is desirable to avoid the build up of extensive levees immediately adjacent to the water body and follow up ruderal control may be necessary where spoil dumping has occurred.

The Mere is a man-made freshwater body, with marginal vegetation comprising sea club rush Bolboschoenus maritimus and reed Phragmites australis.  Such vegetation is managed when the extent of open water is compromised.  In years of low water table, sea club rush may colonise vigorously and grazing by cattle and sheep have had some effect with keeping it in check, although mechanical means may become necessary.  Prolonged cattle grazing has not been practised here due to the risk of adverse effects to the water quality through dunging, particularly during periods of low water table.  Sea club rush swamp and reed swamp are both valued habitats; both are vigorous and invasive, with the latter succeeding over the former in time.  Late summer cutting of sea club rush has been practised in some areas to reduce its vigour where it outcompetes important marginal/aquatic species/communities eg brackish water crowfoot Ranunculus baudotii as well as to provide sheltered sun traps for dragonflies and feeding areas for waterbirds.  Late summer application of herbicide has achieved a high success rate with controlling Bolboschoenus. However, mechanical slubbing is preferred if machinery can access target areas.  Management of marginal vegetation will be initiated prior to 50% of the open water being lost.  With the present maintenance of high water tables, a long-term period is thus envisaged prior to intervention.  The reinstatement of a series of islands should be considered on the Mere to increase the extent of water edge habitat.  Reprofiling of the main island is also proposed, to again increase the water edge habitat and to increase its value to nesting waterbirds.

The stand of reed is more extensive at the Mere than at any other area of the NNR, although this habitat is targeted for expansion on the Stewardship land.  Reed provides an important niche for many invertebrate groups.  Several of the wainscot moths depend upon it, including the obscure wainscot.  Where periodic cattle access has been permitted to the Mere banks, the reed-fringe has been grazed and trampled.  Invariably the reed responds with vigorous growth the following summer.  Management of the reed blocks has also involved autumn cutting and removal of cut material and litter.  A healthy growth is maintained, and the silting up process is slowed.  With the future expansion of the reedbed, a formal cutting regime will be initiated.

Future scrub clearance work is targeted at restoring open slack grassland and slack/dune transition in Measures.  On the freshwater marsh, Hippophae is controlled, where it colonises the margins and the dune ridges.  Hawthorn seedlings will become widely established on the drier ridges without management.  Where scrub has become established, it has become a magnet for rabbit colonisation and reduction of these blocks is ongoing.  It is recognised that isolated pockets of scrub are important components of the habitat, for providing shelter for invertebrates and nesting birds and therefore scrub will be accepted to an upper limit.  Maturing hawthorns will need to be eradicated or coppiced to avoid encouraging use by corvids, which may impact on breeding waterbirds such as lapwing, which is a target species for this habitat.  Corvids may exploit such hawthorns for nesting or as vantage points for pinpointing waterbird nests.

Regular surveys are carried out, mostly from spring to autumn to identify the presence of Crassula in the ponds and dykes on the Freshwater Marsh.  Immediate control measures will be implemented to deal with terrestrial growth manually.  Any aquatic growth may have to be dealt with by chemical application at the appropriate time of year and under licence.  Livestock are excluded from such water bodies to prevent further spread and dams may be instated to prevent the spread of turions into contiguous waterbodies.

Rush dominance is undesirable and cutting management is necessary before and after cattle grazing.  It is anticipated that cattle will eat re-growth from a spring cut and a second cut will weaken the stems especially when inundated by high water table.  Thus far, rush control measures have been met with limited success.  It may be necessary to effect control via chemical means. Advice will be sought from EN.

Follow-up weed control may be a requirement where excavated spoil is concerned after slubbing operations, or where excessive trampling/grazing has occurred with livestock.  Creeping thistle and nettles are usually most problematic in these respects.  Elsewhere, hogweed dominance needs to be kept in check along the Mere banks and other rank areas of the Freshwater Marsh.

Annual checks of fencing infrastructure is important to identify any necessary repairs prior to the introduction of livestock.  Scrub is discouraged from growing over fencelines to alleviate any potential damage and to keep open access for maintenance.  The effectiveness of rabbit-proofing needs to be checked additionally, particularly where rabbits constitute an issue with neighbours.

The north and west edges of the Measures 40 Acres have been stock-fenced and rabbit-proofed. This has defrayed any potential problems with rabbits emanating from here, and it has also acted as a deterrent to unauthorised visitor access into this sanctuary area.  The completion of perimeter fencing along the South and East sectors of Measures will allow for the future deployment of stock.  Grazing is the preferred management application for this 40 acre block of slack, open dune grassland and scrub.

The Freshwater Marsh has now been rabbit-proofed on north, south and east sides, which has much reduced the previously high rabbit grazing impact and allowed controlled livestock grazing to be practised.  Consideration needs to be given to rabbit exclusion along the west bank of the marsh.  Meantime, control will be carried out to eradicate the small population which presently exists here. 

Water level management on the Freshwater Marsh is reliant upon earth plugs/bunds, pipes and valves to allow water flow via Bulldog Bank.  Annual inspection and maintenance are required to ensure that these are in good order.

There is no influence on the water table here and there may be much variation year on year. However, surface water is usually extensive in the central slack and Willey’s slack.

In Army Swathe, grazing by Hebridean sheep has assisted in dealing with rosebay Epilobium angustifoilium and sea buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides regrowth after clearance.  Because of the rabbit population here, extensive grazing is not necessary.  However, a dearth of rabbits would require an increased stocking rate.  Where scrub has been cleared to the south, sheep-grazing may be considered in place of present cutting regimes, but containment would rely upon temporary electric fencing.  Other slack components are not sheep grazed due to a) their small size, b) damp conditions or c) rabbit-grazing pressure.

Annual mowing is carried out in certain slack compartments (a and b above) to prevent the vegetation from becoming rank.  The use of large-scale machinery is inappropriate in most of these slacks and the operation is usually reliant upon brushcutters or reciprocating mower.  Annual mowing is carried out on a biennial programme at Willey’s slack, whereby half (one side) of the slack is cut during the autumn.  Similarly the slack rides at Shovelers north slack have been maintained by annual mowing (tractor access is a problem here).  Cuttings are removed and heaped in adjacent scrub.  Stockfencing at the latter site will allow for future livestock grazing.  The southern part of this slack is quite rank and efforts have been made to clear invading scrub prior to enhancing the slack grassland through mowing.

The main management task within the slack system is the ongoing management of scrub to maintain and restore open dune slack grassland communities.  Sea buckthorn colonising open slack is not tolerated and is removed by uprooting, cutting or rarely chemical application. Hawthorn and elder are less of a problem in these conditions, but the sallow canopy has become dominant in the main East Dune Slack system.  It is thought that the spread of sallow has been promoted artificially along bird ringing rides, from natural stands; there is every justification for its removal in this respect.  It is desirable to maintain some stands of this scrub type here however, as representative examples of slack succession into coastal scrub, with dependant assemblages of birds and invertebrates.  Scrub clearance on the East Dunes occasionally generates adverse public complaints and thus a fairly piecemeal approach has been initiated.  The sallow canopy will continue to be thinned, coppiced and pollarded to reduce its dominance, diversify the canopy structure and perpetuate some of the older and important stands.  Larger sallow Salix caprea specimens will be maintained, representing climax scrub community, particularly where colonised by lunar hornet moth Sesia bembeciformis and these may be maintained through long-term rotational pollarding.  The establishment of seedlings will be kept in check.  The expansion of open slack will continue, based on the existing network of rides and ‘glades’ where relict slack grassland has always persisted.

Rosebay willowherb control will continue to be carried out during the summer months, in and around the main East Dune slack.  Hebridean sheep have an impact on rosebay within the Army Swathe enclosure.  Grazing management may be extended to other areas of dune slack to assist with rosebay control, particularly after scrub clearance.

Reed establishment has been encouraged at Reedy pool (compt 1/25/E) by scraping the slack in the late 1980’s.  In general, this area remains too dry for healthy reed growth although dune slack flora is rich and reed will be managed by summer cut.

The small reedbed at Shoveler’s pool is a good example of slack succession into swamp.  It is managed by rotational cutting in Autumn to invigorate reed growth and reduce the build up of litter layer.  As with most water bodies, long-term slubbing may be necessary to restore the characteristics of the water body, preventing full succession into scrub.  Establishment of sallow saplings is suppressed manually.

Where scrub has been cleared, a legacy of pernicious weeds is inevitable.  In particular, nettle and creeping thistle may dominate.  Control is effected through cutting preferably before flowering has commenced.  Cut material is removed from the restoration area where possible, to avoid composting and enrichment.  The ride and glade extensions in ‘Buckthorn’ will continue to be managed in this way to assist with the re- establishment of dune slack sward.

Heavy rabbit-grazing is a feature of most of the slacks and the instatement of a temporary rabbit exclosure allows one area of sward in Army Swathe to develop fully, to flowering and seed- setting. Rabbit control is practiced at low intensity through the year on the East Dunes.

Most of the dune slack pools have been created/managed for natterjack toads Bufo calamita, with the exception of Shoveler’s Pool.  It is important that a range of pools is available for natterjacks, with slightly different characteristics so that at least one may be productive in any one year.  From time to time, it will be necessary to clear aquatic and marginal vegetation, particularly where this compromises the extent of bare sandy shallows that are favoured for spawning.  The vegetation may also harbour invertebrate larvae which may predate heavily on natterjack tadpoles.  This presently accounts for very low productivity in the natterjack population.  The depth of the pools is such that they may dry completely during occasional summers.  This will significantly reduce the predator bank in the system.  Samples of a wide range of spawn strings will continue to be reared in nursery pools to ensure some productivity and the survival of a wide genetic diversity. Competition from common toads Bufo bufo does not bode well for natterjacks and a campaign to remove toads is carried out during the breeding season.  This is particularly necessary at Couplands pond and the Barrow, where the proximity to scrub is less than other pools.  Riseholme pond is both an inundation pool and ephemeral and thus offers near-optimum conditions. Vegetation growth is minimal and little management has so far been required.  To the south, two pools of presumed military origin may provide additional potential for broadening the natterjack population base.  The possibility of reprofiling work should be discussed with EN/HCT to establish the suitability of such work.  Whilst bank reprofiling would be necessary to render them suitable for natterjacks, care should be taken not to disturb the substrate, due to the close proximity of the saltmarsh and saline water.  Public access is discouraged from important natterjack sites by either low post and wire fence or stock-fencing.