The Black Devon Wetland

Article from the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency publication:
"Habitat Enhancement", December 2000

Focus on the Award Winner 2000

The Black Devon Wetland
The first known "managed retreat" project in Scotland has recently been completed near Alloa by the Clackmannanshire Heritage Trust. The Black Devon Wetland, adjacent to the rivers Forth and Black Devon, is part of the Trust's Clackmannanshire Countryside Rivers Project. The site aims to demonstrate a way in which managed retreat can be realised, and through this, increase bio-diversity in an area of international ornithological importance.

Managed retreat aims to address the potential consequences of global warming and sea level rise. This can result in increasing pressures on existing tidal flood embankments and salt marsh/inter-tidal areas, often resulting in widespread flooding. A response to this has been to either build a second line of defence, or lower/remove existing flood embankments. The Black Devon Wetland site is based around a controlled breach of the flood embankments of the river Black Devon, introduced to allow the reclaimed salt marsh adjacent to this tidal part of the river to inundate. This has been combined with ground modelling to create permanent lagoons.

The seven hectare Black Devon Wetland site is owned by the Earl of Mar and Kellie, and is part of a farm consisting of around 35 hectares of wet pasture grazed by cattle. The adjacent upper Forth is listed as a potential Special Protection Area under the European Birds Directive in recognition of its outstanding ornithological importance. Strategically, the site is already demonstrating considerable benefits for nature conservation, providing another link in the chain of existing sites of ecological significance along the upper Forth.

In addition to the reclamation of this wetland, other improvements to enhance the bio-diversity of the area have included stock fencing of the River Black Devon corridor and lagoons to give protection from poaching by cattle. The approach has been to take a holistic view of improving and managing the whole farm and not just the site. Planned works are new native planting in appropriate areas, grass cutting and developing a grazing regime for the cattle to encourage nesting birds.

Negotiations are underway to secure a long term management agreement for the farm between the Mar and Kellie Estates and the RSPB. Arrangements are currently being sought to monitor the continuing evolution of the site including ornithological recording, and possible invertebrate and fish studies.

The Black Devon Wetland also aims to fulfil another important purpose - to provide recreation opportunities for the community of south east Alloa. Access improvements have included path upgrading, new access provision and way-marking.

The development of the Black Devon Wetland managed retreat site has evolved over the last three years, and the innovative technical aspects of the project have resulted in sharp learning curves! The project began with a hydrological survey to assess the feasibility of inundation. This was followed by a period of fund-raising for Clackmannanshire Countryside Rivers Project. The project was made possible through funding from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Clackmannanshire Council landfill tax funding, Clackmannanshire Heritage Trust, and the support of the Earl of Mar and Kellie.

The ethos of the Clackmannanshire Countryside Rivers Project, as well as the Black Devon Wetland, is one of partnership. A great deal of added value has been generated from this approach and the goodwill and expertise of agencies and individuals, such as the Earl of Mar and Kellie, Clackmannanshire Council, SNH, the RSPB and the University of Stirling.

The Earl of Mar and Kellie has played a key role in the implementation of this project. He is keen to see the purpose of the project as a demonstration area for managed retreat fulfilled and welcomes visitors to the site. For further details please contact Andrew Millar, Clackmannanshire Heritage Trust, Greenfield, Alloa, Clackmannanshire FK10 2AD. Tel (01259) 452194. Fax (01259) 452200.