New CLA member – R C Baker Ltd - has the right kit for the job

There are a range of choices when it comes to creating and managing scrapes on wet grassland. One option is to use the rotary ditcher and spoil spreader, which are owned by the RSPB and operated by award-winning agricultural contractors RC Baker Ltd. The machines are available for hire for conservation projects throughout the UK.

What is the rotary ditcher?

Manufactured in the USA by Liebrecht, the rotary ditcher is a giant rotating digger pulled by a tractor and is used to create shallow ditches and pools. The RSPB imported the machine in 2002, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Since then, the rotary ditcher has worked nationwide on over 50 farms and nature reserves, from Northumberland to Devon and from Anglesey to Norfolk.

Why create foot drains?

The rotary ditcher is most efficient at creating foot drains - shallow channels up to three metres wide and 50 cm deep. These hold surface water, providing habitat for breeding waders and their chicks, which feed on invertebrates in the wet muddy edges of pools and scrapes. Recent RSPB research has shown that fields with high foot drain densities attract significantly higher densities of nesting lapwings.

Foot drains can be designed to minimise impacts on management operations, for example, spacing them to allow machinery to cut and turn between them and installing crossing points.

The creation of foot drains on lowland wet grasslands will be most beneficial to breeding waders when incorporated as part of a broader programme of habitat management. For advice on managing a range of farmland habitats, including wet grassland, visit www.rspb.org.uk/farming

What can the rotary ditcher do?

·         Create foot drains at a rate of around 200 m per hour* - being typically faster and more cost-effective than using an excavator.

·         Give an accurate depth of excavation through laser levelling, with adjustable cutting blades to create variable profiles

·         Create ditches up to 1.5 m deep and shallow pools 10 m wide and 30 m long*

·         Throw spoil up to 30 m away*, avoiding costly collection and removal. Spoil breaks down easily into the sward.

*Depends on soil type, topography, vegetation cover and complexity of features being created.

How much work do I need to make it cost effective?

The rotary ditcher and tractor are transported on a low loader from their base in Oxfordshire, and this can make up a significant proportion of costs for sites away from this area. As such, it is mainly suitable for sites, or groups of sites, with work covering at least three days, to make it cost effective. We are happy to talk to anyone who is considering wetland creation work to see if the rotary ditcher is suitable.

What is the spoil spreader?

Manufactured in Holland by Bos, the spoil spreader is owned by the RSPB Berney Marshes reserve in Norfolk. It has been operated by RC Baker Ltd Agricultural Contractors on wetland projects and is available for hire. The machine has a series of flat blades on a helical rotor, which sits at 45 degrees to the back of the tractor. This means that the machine can spread the spoil up to 15 metres behind and to the side of the tractor.

As with all wet features, scrapes and foot drains eventually fill in with sediment and vegetation. To re-establish this important habitat, it is often necessary to 'clean out' scrapes approximately every five years. This recreates the wet muddy habitat that is so important for breeding waders. The spoil spreader is the ideal machine to clean out this soil and vegetation. The machine is cheap to transport and cost effective to operate.

The spoil spreader can also be used to create new foot drains on sites with soft soils. It can be a good alternative on peat sites, where the larger rotary ditcher is often unsuitable due to its weight. The spoil spreader is a lighter machine and runs on a smaller tractor, so can be used on more sensitive soils with minimal damage.

Funding

Use of the RSPB's rotary ditcher and spoil spreader should be eligible for capital funding through Natural England's Higher Level Stewardship scheme. This funding should cover the cost of the work, depending on where the site is and how much work is planned.

Licensing and consenting requirements

It is essential to obtain site-specific information and advice, and procure all necessary licenses, permits and consents, from the appropriate public and statutory bodies before undertaking works in the floodplain. It is also essential to check that there is not any sensitive archaeology or similar features of interest that will be affected by the work. The RSPB can provide advice on this.

For further information

The RSPB can provide free advice and support on the deployment and use of both machines. Site managers should be aware that advance booking is essential. If you are interested contact Mike Shurmer, RSPB Wetlands Advisor on 01865 352035 or mike.shurmer@rspb.org.uk or visit www.rspb.org.uk/rotaryditcher