NEW WETLAND HARVESTS FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT
31 August 2000
Project to develop new environmentally sustainable technology for wetland management
Supported by the LIFE programme of the European Union
Anglian Water / British Reed Growers Association
English Nature / Norfolk Wildlife Trust
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
Report Compiled by:
Rob Andrews
Conservation Officer
Broads Authority
18 Colegate, Norwich
Norfolk, NR3 1BQ
United Kingdom
LIFE 97 ENV/UK/000511
NEW WETLAND HARVESTS
FINAL TECHNICAL REPORT
31 August 2000
Project to develop new environmentally
sustainable technology for wetland management
1.0[PHOTO OF HARVESTER AND BLOWER]
Supported by the LIFE programme of the European Union
Report Compiled by Rob Andrews
Broads Authority
18 Colegate, Norwich
Norfolk NR3 1BQ
on behalf of a funding partnership comprising:
Anglian Water
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds English Nature
British Reed Growers AssociationMinistry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
1
Aerial view of Fen Harvester at work
Project Manager:
Rob Andrews
Conservation Officer
Broads Authority
Thomas Harvey House
18 Colegate
Norwich
Norfolk NR3 1BQ
United Kingdom
Tel:+ 44 07971 156074
Fax:+ 44 (0)1692 583399
Email:
TABLE of CONTENTS
Figure 1: Map showing the Broads Authority Executive Area
1.0INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1.1 The Final Stage of the Project
1.2 Summary of Achievements
1.3 Background
1.4 Why undertake the Project?
1.5 The Key Activities
1.6 The Project Partners
1.7 Management of the Project
1.8 Structure of this Report
2.0MANAGEMENT TASK
2.1 Objective
2.2 Project Steering Group
2.3 Project Management Team
2.4 Environmental and Economic Assessment Teams
2.5 Video record
2.6 The Future of the Project Team
3.0DISSEMINATION TASK
3.1 Objective
3.2 General approach
3.3 Specific activities
3.4 Broads Authority Video
3.5 Explanatory Pamphlet
3.6 Technical Reports
3.7 Media Coverage
3.8 Field Demonstration Events
4.0HARVESTING MACHINERY TASK
4.1 Objective of Task Number 1
4.2 Summary
4.3 The Fen Harvester
4.4 The Fen Blower and Pipeline
4.5 Road Transportation
4.6 Lightweight Bridges
4.7 Fen Harvest Trials
5.0PRODUCT- RELATED INVESTIGATIONS
5.1 Objective of Task number 2
5.2 Drying
5.3 Composting
5.4 Compacting
5.5 Harvest Products
5.6 Biofuel – Introduction
5.7 Biofuel – Loose
5.8 Biofuel – Briquetted
5.9 Gasification Feedstock
5.10 Product Related Investigation Conclusions
6.0ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT ASSESSMENT
6.1 Objectives of Task number 3
6.2 Method
6.3 Environmental Effects
6.4 Summary of Environmental Work
7.0ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT
7.1 Objective of task number 4
7.2 Method
7.3 Costs of Fen Harvesting
7.4 Comparison of Different Management Techniques
7.5 Cost Transfers
8.0TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER TASK
8.1 Objective of Task number 5
8.2 Method and Rationale
8.3 Liaison With Other Wetland Managers
8.4 Workshops
8.5 Conclusions of Technology Transfer Task
9.0Appendices
9.1 Appendix 1 – Typical Rolling Agenda
9.2 Appendix 2 – Video Script
9.3 Appendix 3 – Extract from ESA Newsletter
9.4 Appendix 4 – Report to East of England Development Agency
9.5 Appendix 5 – Polish Workshop Timetable
9.6 Appendix 6 – Detailed Environmental Benefit Assessment
9.7 Appendix 7 – Detailed Economic Assessment
9.8 Appendix 8 – Detailed Technology Transfer report
9.9 Appendix 9 – Nature Conservation Energy Proposal
Figure 1: Map showing the Broads Authority Executive Area
1
2.01.0INTRODUCTION AND EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2.11.1The Final Stage of the Project
The final stage of the project saw the conclusion of the machinery purchasing and modifying, field trials, demonstrations, environmental and economic assessments, together with testing of the principles of fen harvesting in the wider wetland environment throughout the rest of Europe.
2.21.2Summary of Achievements
(i)New Harvesting Method
An efficient, low cost method of harvesting was developed that could work on very soft ground without damaging the plant communities or becoming bogged down in marshy conditions. This is a major development that allows economic large-scale cutting of wet fen using environmentally friendly low ground pressure machinery.
(ii)New Collection System
A new technique of blowing cut material from the marsh down a long pipeline was developed and customised to be able to cut plants of different degrees of toughness and moisture content.
(iii)New Bridging System
A lightweight portable bridging system that enabled the machinery to cross dykes in the more inaccessible areas was developed. The fen pipeline was able to discharge directly into road transportation from where it could be taken to an indoor product handling area.
(iv)New Drying System
Inside the covered storage area trials were completed that culminated with the development of a drying system that could reduce the moisture content of the fen litter from more than 50% to about 15% total water content, using cold or hot air.
(v)Product outlets investigated
Viable product outlets for this litter were demonstrated for composting, animal food, or as a soil improver. The most promising uses, however, were demonstrated to be as a biofuel to produce heat and electricity or as a high value product to be sold as pet litter. The need was identified for a very local outlet to reduce transportation costs and therefore required the building of a facility in the immediate environment of the Broads.
(vi)Benefits for the whole of Europe
The technology was demonstrated to be equally applicable to a wide range of wetlands throughout Europe where either the whole system or part of the equipment could be used to achieve the same nature conservation objectives.
2.31.3Background
This is the final report for the New Wetland Harvests Project (the project) that was begun in April 1997. It forms the end of a three-year project that was funded as part of the European Union Life programme.
The project was managed by the Broads Authority, a special statutory authority charged with the co-ordination of management in the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads (the Broads), on behalf of the LIFE programme and the four funding partners.
The project was based in the Broads, an area that shares equivalent status to that of a National Park. The main objective was to demonstrate a new technology for achieving nature conservation in the wet habitat of the Broads, which could then be used in similar wetlands throughout Europe.
2.41.4Why Undertake the Project?
Wet reedbeds and fens have declined dramatically in the EU in the past century and the UK hosts a large proportion of the surviving habitat. The Broads includes the largest example of these habitats in the UK. The majority forms part of the Natura 2000 series.
Wetlands provide many important services to human society and are at the same time ecologically sensitive systems. However, as a result of changes in agricultural practices these valuable wetland areas have become neglected and, through natural succession to woodland, there have been losses of biodiversity, landscape and recreational values.
Since maintaining environmental values depends on continued wetland management, including regular removal of the standing crop, much attention has recently been directed towards the formulation and operation of sustainable management strategies for wetlands.
As well as government commitments to maintain wet reedbeds and fens through national biodiversity action plans, there are many large-scale projects to restore and create new wetlands. The long-term success of these plans will depend on there being new commercial harvesting systems that take full account of environmental needs.
2.51.5The Key Activities
The Project established and tested a fen harvesting system. This involved the design, procurement and demonstration of a specialized mechanical harvester, together with a system for transporting and handling the cut material, all designed to cope with wet and uneven terrain of high environmental sensitivity.
The prototype machinery was developed according to exacting performance characteristics that were drawn up by the Broads Authority following feasibility investigations and a number of full-scale trials of existing equipment in Western Europe.
A nature conservation plan called the Fen Management Strategy already exists for the Broads and this was used as a guide to determine which wetland areas required this type of fen harvesting.
2.61.6The Project Partners
The LIFE Programme of the European Union supported the Project in partnership with the Broads Authority.
The other funding partners were
Anglian Water
English Nature
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF)
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
The non-funding partners were
British Reed Growers Association
Norfolk Wildlife Trust
2.71.7Management of the Project
The project partners, both funding and non-funding, contributed to the work on a regular basis and also as part of a more formal Project Steering Group.
There was also a Project Team which consisted of employed and contracted personnel who were more closely involved with the work and with whom the project partners were able to discuss developments as they occurred.
2.81.8Structure of this Report
This final technical report is in the following sections.
Introduction and Executive Summary.
A general description of the project on a task by task basis and summarising the work completed, together with its outputs and achievements.
Appendices including detailed technical reports on the aspects of the work that have undergone a fuller investigation, to achieve some of the more specific task objectives.
The financial report is bound under a separate cover, following the structure of the previous financial information reported in 1998.
3.02.0MANAGEMENT TASK
3.12.1Objective
Co-ordination of project partners, Project Team and sub-contractors, technical and financial management.
3.22.2Project Steering Group
This group comprised representatives of all the Project partners, funding and non-funding. The group met six times during the course of the Project, with one further meeting planned after the production of the final report in order to conclude the discussions and decide on a way forward for the future. There were also many ad hoc meetings between steering group members and the Project Manager at times throughout the year.
The Project Steering Group meetings were held both in the field and at suitable indoor venues for round the table discussions. Some of the group members were also involved with the field demonstrations and took part in the International Workshop, which was organised in the Broads during November 1998.
One additional benefit of the forum’s formation will be to help further develop the most appropriate system and technology for product utilisation of the fen harvest in the future. This forum consists of Broadland experts who will be able to advise on the final biofuel or animal litter outlets; so it is planned to re-convene the group when decisions are made on the expansion of fen harvesting over the rest of the Broads.
3.32.3Project Management Team
The membership of the Project Management Team is set out below. Various elements of the team met at weekly intervals to manage the progression of the work. A rolling agenda was used as a checklist for work planning and work completed, an example of which is included as Appendix 1.
(i)Project Manager
The Project Manager throughout the three years was Rob Andrews, who is a Conservation Officer at the Broads Authority. His duties in the field of nature conservation are wide ranging, but specialise within the field of ecology of the fen habitat. He was, therefore, in a perfect position to manage the New Wetland Harvests Project, which was based purely in this habitat.
The management task of the Project Manager proved to be quite wide-ranging and covered all aspects of co-ordination, project operation, financial and technical reporting. The emphasis of the Project Manager’s work changed markedly with time as the tasks changed from commissioning of equipment through full-scale trials and operation to the collation of results and their subsequent analysis.
(ii)Project Engineer
A specialist project engineer (Nick Ash) was appointed to oversee the contract for the building of the specialised Fen Harvester and Blower. This proved to be a crucial post because of the highly technical nature of the engineering required throughout much of the machinery purchasing and development of Tasks 1 and 2.
The aims of these Tasks were to demonstrate all aspects of the fen harvesting and product handling techniques; it required a constant monitoring of machinery performance to be able continuously to assess the need for technical modifications and refinement. Mr Ash proved to be an invaluable member of the team and was responsible for ensuring the successful development of the specialised machines.
(iii)Project Ecologists
Two members of staff were appointed near the beginning of the project (Trevor Thorley and Colin Simpson) as New Wetland Harvest Ecologists. Their involvement with the Project Team was vital to form a link between the work in the field and the development of new ideas for cutting, product drying or packaging.
They also liased directly with the environmental and economic assessment teams for the collection of data and with the Project Engineer to recommend machinery modifications, as they became necessary.
(iv)Chief Conservation Officer
The Chief Conservation Officer of the Broads Authority was a member ex-officio of the Project Team. This post was initially held by Jane Madgwick, and latterly by Michael Green.
3.42.4Environmental and Economic Assessment Teams
External economic and environmental assessment teams were appointed in May/June of the first year. Both teams worked on and off from the beginning of the project to the end in August 2000 and were able to gradually accumulate dossiers of their own tasks at the most relevant times. Their final reports are included in section 2 of this report.
There were three combined meetings of these two groups in order to link together the environmental and economic considerations. Each of the group members also met regularly with the Project Team to discuss data collection and methodology during their fieldwork and to discuss the analysis of the results as trends started to become obvious.
At the final meeting of the two teams the results of the fieldwork were presented and discussed in the context of the original objectives. The Project Manager then collated the final reporting from each team.
3.52.5Video record
A film company – Renaissance Vision – was contracted to record a video of the whole project.
3.62.6The Future of the Project Team
The professionals assembled for this project worked well together, and if, as is hoped, it becomes possible to build a biofuel station and pet litter packaging facility in the Broads then the members of the team are willing to re-convene to assist that, or any further opportunities.
4.03.0DISSEMINATION TASK
4.13.1Objective
To disseminate the technical, environmental and economic information derived from the project to relevant audiences.
4.23.2General approach
The dissemination aspect of the project was central to all of the activities and during the course of the three years a video and a number of publications were produced and there were many talks and demonstrations arranged for a variety of national and international audiences.
This combination of approaches was designed to reach people at different levels during the course of the project. Audiences included the general public, wetland practitioners, policy-makers who influence wetland management, plus industries and manufacturers of equipment for use in wetland environments.
After completion of the three-year project, the Broads Authority and its local partners will continue to operate the harvesting system to fulfil nature conservation objectives. The links established with other partners in Europe will be maintained and it is likely that the Broads team will continue to be involved in the transfer of the technology to other major wetlands.
4.33.3Specific activities
The dissemination activities are listed in summary below, and in greater detail in later paragraphs.
A video to follow all aspects of the project.
Technical reports on the environmental, economic and technology transfer aspects of the project. These are most relevant to those who play a part in technology transfer in Europe.
Technical articles in the specialist media. These were used to make wetland managers aware of the project and to stimulate interest in the field demonstration events and technical reports.
Participation in relevant conferences by members of the Project Team.
Field demonstration events with invited participants from key organisations and regions in Europe.
Two overseas workshops – one in the UK and one in Poland – which were particularly aimed at assessing the potential for technology transfer to other countries.
An explanatory leaflet concerning the project.
Non technical articles in the press, interviews on television and radio following press releases. Together with the leaflet, these were used to inform the interested members of the public of the purpose, key components and results of the project.
4.43.4Broads Authority Video
A local company based in the Broads – Renaissance Vision – was employed from the start of the project to produce a video from a schedule of filming that covered the entire project period. Filming began with the inception of the design for the Fen Harvester in Devon and ended with the final product investigations looking at the use of the harvest as pet litter. Many hours of filming were eventually edited into a twenty-minute video, with a professional voice-over and commentary.
An accompanying leaflet provided further information and the video was distributed free to the project partners, to groups that had shown an interest in using the techniques in their area and to other wetland managers, many of whom also took part in one of the demonstration events.
Further copies were also available for purchase by members of the general public.
A transcript of the video was produced to act as a written record and it forms Appendix 2.
4.53.5Explanatory Pamphlet
A colour leaflet was produced to inform the members of the public of the purpose, key components and results of the project. It was distributed free of charge to interested parties and stocks were also put in Broads Authority visitor centres where they were available for circulation to the general public.