Reedbeds

Reed, sedge and fen litter are traditional fenland crops. Without management for these crops, the reedbeds and associated habitats decline in value for wildlife. Commercial and conservation interests in reedbed management are highly interdependent. For comprehensive information, see Reedbed management for commercial and wildlife interests (Hawke, CJ and Jose, PV, 1996).

Common or Norfolk reed (Phragmites communis) is the major traditional fenland crop, used for thatching. After a period of decline, thatch is in great demand as an attractive, practical and environmentally sound roofing material, used both on old and new houses in areas where thatch is traditional. The UK produces only a quarter of its annual requirement of about 2 million bundles, so there is great scope for the rehabilitation of old reedbeds, and the creation of new ones. The fact that about 64% of the UK annual production is from reedbeds of designated conservation importance highlights the interdependence of commercial and wildlife interests.

Saw or fen sedge (Cladium mariscus), used to thatch roof ridges and other awkward places, complements reed because it remains flexible and strong when dry, while reed becomes stiff and brittle. Most reedbeds have small areas of sedge associated with them so that both can be harvested in proportion to their use.

Fen litter and marsh hay are traditional mixed fen products, harvested in summer from mixed, tall-herb fen or ‘mowing marshes’. These crops were once used for animal bedding and feed, and vast quantities were sent up to London for the comfort of cab horses. Cutting or mowing continues in some areas for conservation reasons, although the crop no longer has any commercial value. The cut material is removed off the marsh and stacked for burning or left to decay.

Management regimes

Reed

1. The best reed for thatching is ‘single wale’, which is cut each year in winter. This produces a very clean crop, as there is no accumulation of dead reed litter. The stems are thin and pack tightly when thatched. Single wale cutting reduces the rate of drying out of the reedbed, and promotes the surface flow of water. Plant diversity in a single wale reedbed is low, as the annual cut favours the dominance of reed.
2. Single wale cutting tends to reduce the vigour of the reedbed, so a system of ‘double wale’ cutting is used by many growers, which means that the reeds are cut every other winter. Double wale reeds are taller and thicker than single wale, partly due to the sheltering effect in early spring of the previous year ’s growth, but have fewer stems per square metre of reedbed. After harvesting, the crop is cleaned of short stems and unwanted vegetation. For conservation purposes, a double wale crop provides winter habitat for invertebrates and other organisms, and allows a wider range of plants to grow. It is important though that areas are cut in rotation, so there is continuity of habitat. On most commercial reedbeds, some areas are left uncut each year where harvesting is difficult because of ground conditions, or because variable growth means some areas of reed are not of harvesting quality.
3. Reed for thatching should be cut between November and mid-March, with cutting times varying with different sites and years. The reed must be dry and hard but not brittle. Do not cut in wet weather as damp reed will not store. Cutting should finish in time to avoid damage to the young shoots and disturbance to breeding birds.
   Summer cutting of reed is carried out on sites being managed primarily for wildlife, where the aim is to encourage plant diversity and maintain areas of open water by suppressing the reed. Cutting the reed in summer reduces its vigour by removing the growing parts of the reed. Suppression is increased if cutting is done when the reedbeds are flooded, as the cut stubble is effectively ‘drowned’. Reedmace, rushes and other plants can also be controlled in this way, thus providing a method of control which avoids either herbicide use or altering the water regime. Underwater cutting by hand is hard work when the vegetation is very dense, and a reciprocating mower or brush cutter is the usual method (see below).
   Cut reed must be removed from the bed whether or not it is to be processed, or it will compact and decay into a smothering black ooze.
4. Although it grows in a variety of situations, reed maintains its dominance, when cut, only if subject to the same pattern of flooding and drying each year. Winter flooding simulates the natural cycle, and is preferred for wildlife interest. Spring-summer flooding is the optimum for commercial operations, as the young shoots are protected from late frosts, and the flooding suppresses scrub and other ‘weeds’ which seed into summer-dry locations. Water is then drawn down in autumn and winter to permit access for harvesting. A compromise for wildlife and commercial interest is to subdivide the reedbeds, so that only half is drained at a time for harvesting, while the other half remains flooded for winter feeding birds. Conditions which provide a variety of depths down to a maximum of 300mm (12″) in summer are better for wildlife than the commercial practice of flooding to the maximum possible, up to about 1m (36″). Year-round flooding tends to gradually weaken and thin the reedbeds.Avoid altering the cycle from year to year as this drastically lowers the quality of the reed.
5. Reed grows best where there is some movement of surface or soil water. Where a continual water supply exists, flow can be ensured by providing numerous intersecting ditches through the bed. The system starts with small ditches or grips only a spade width, widening to 1m (36″) width where they join the main ditches. The flow reduces the rate of litter accumulation and oxygenates the water. Large ditches and dykes may be navigable by small boats, with sluices across them at intervals so that water levels can be controlled either directly through gates or by pumping.
6. Reed grows best in water with a high nutrient level. Its ability to survive in, and improve the quality of, highly eutrophic or polluted water is being utilised in the construction of reedbeds for water treatment. However, open-water areas within reedbeds with eutrophic water tend to become dominated by fast-growing algae and duckweed, to the detriment of other organisms. Where eutrophic water flows into a reedbed, it may be necessary to alter the channels so that the eutrophic water either flows first into a treatment reedbed, or by-passes the reedbeds altogether if there is an alternative supply.
7. Local outbreaks of reed bugs (caterpillars of Arenostola spp) in late May and early June may damage young reeds and affect the crop. Single wale cutting removes the overwintering habitat. Starlings may occasionally ruin commercial reed crops by descending to roost in vast flocks in late autumn. The crushed and tangled reed is best burned off in the hope that next year brings better luck.

Sedge

1. Saw sedge is normally harvested for commercial use between June and August. Traditionally, summer cutting provided alternative employment for marshmen engaged during the winter on reed. Summer cutting also keeps sedge beds free of reed, since reed is suppressed by summer cutting, whereas sedge is not. The harvest should be finished in time to allow the sedge to put on sufficient new growth before the first frost, to prevent it being killed in winter. For conservation rather than commercial purposes, sedge may be cut in winter to avoid harming wildlife.
2. Saw sedge for thatching should be at least 900mm (3′) tall when harvested, and is traditionally cut on a four year rotation, with one quarter of the bed cut each year. This allows for sufficient regrowth and density of new stems. Less frequent cutting has little effect on the species mix within the bed, as sedge is very tenacious once established. More frequent cutting encourages other plants to invade and form a mixed fen community. Rotational cutting helps minimise destruction of wildlife.
3. Commercial sedge beds are sometimes burned in summer, to suppress reed and increase the growth of new sedge shoots the next year. Sedge regrows quickly from the scorched crowns. Summer burning is destructive of wildlife and should be limited to only part of the bed each year.
4. To renovate old sedge beds for commercial use any scrub should be removed in winter. The beds should then be burnt or cut the next growing season to retard reed and mixed fen plants. Thereafter, the normal cutting regime is followed. Sedge is commercially acceptable provided it contains only limited amounts of marsh hay, sallow saplings, bog myrtle (Myrica gale) or other plants.

Fen litter and marsh hay

Fens are maintained by annual or biennial cutting, by grazing or by a combination of grazing and cutting. Grazing is usually between May and October. Marsh hay is cut once or twice each summer, between mid-June and mid-August. This encourages a good diversity of herbaceous plants, and limits scrub invasion. If left uncut for a year or two, mixed fen can be burnt in winter to remove old tangled growth and allow harvesting the next year.

Cutting and harvesting

Harvesting reed

Traditional tools for cutting reed are the reed or cane- sickle, which is a shortened straight-handled scythe, and the ‘maigue’ or ‘meak’, a similar but smaller tool with a 600mm (2′) blade designed for single-handed use. An ordinary scythe can substitute for either tool.

Hand cutting is laborious but clean, giving stems with bevelled bases ideal for thatch. Hand cutting can be varied to suit conditions, and reach small areas where machines cannot operate. A skilled and fit worker can cut reed as fast as some machinery. Low cutting leaves a clean reedbed, but necessitates more cleaning of the cut reed. Higher cutting leaves a few inches of stubble which becomes excellent invertebrate habitat, attractive to feeding birds. High cutting is also done where reed becomes discoloured at the base before harvest time. Affected stems are unsightly although their hardness is unimpaired.

Reciprocating mowers are now used for most commercial harvesting. These machines have cutter bars one, two or three metres wide, and produce square-ended butts with frayed ends, suitable for thatching. Various makes are available, with the original Allen scythe now superseded by Iseki/Honda, Bucher and Olympia. The largest machine is the Seiga, which needs three people to operate it, and can cut and tie 2,000 bundles in a day.

Brush cutters can also be used for cutting reed, but are used more for conservation management than for commercial harvesting. Rotating blade brushcutters smash the butt ends of the reeds so are not suitable for thatching reed. Reciprocating blade brushcutters give a neater cut, and can be used for cutting reeds below the water level.

Processing reed

To process commercial reed once it is cut:

1. Clean the reed by shaking it and picking out other plants. It should contain no visible adulterating matter.
2. Gather and tie the reed into bundles sorted by length (see table below). Tie at a point, called the bond, between 230mm (9″) and 380mm (15″) from the butt ends, using non-degradable twine. The bundle should be 600mm (2′) in circumference at the bond. Keep a piece of string handy, knotted at the measured length, for easy checking. A bundle of medium length and diameter weighs 3.2-3.6kg (7-8lb) when dry, and contains about 2000 reeds.
3. Store the reed in dry, airy conditions, raised up from the ground.

REED LENGTH AND DIAMETER British Reed Growers’ Association classification

For  further  details  see  the  British  Reed  Growers’ Association leaflet Buying and Selling Reed.

Harvesting saw sedge, fen litter and marsh hay

Saw sedge, fen litter and marsh hay are cut in the same way as reed. Sedge can be cut by hand at the rate of 200 bundles a day or more by a skilled worker. Cut sedge does not normally need cleaning of other plant material if the beds are reasonably maintained. The standard bunch of sedge measures 710mm (2’4″) in circumference at the time of cutting, measured at the bond at least 300mm (1′) from the butt.

Sedge is cut green, and so dries and shrinks after harvesting. Stacked bunches eventually loosen at the bond although they are of the proper size.