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Writer's pictureThe Heather Trust

An update to bracken guidance

The UK nature conservation bodies alongside the UK national historic advisory bodies have now published revised guidance on bracken management on the NatureScot website.


The conversations continue on how we effectively manage this dominant species, which can have detrimental impacts on human and animal health and wider biodiversity.


In light of the asulox ban, it is now more important than ever to keep up the momentum with research and innovation to bring appropriate, workable solutions to the many landscapes and livelihoods that are impacted. If you missed our recent bracken webinar with Simon Thorp, you can catch it again at the bottom of this page.


The publication of the guidance precedes a stakeholder survey planned for this autumn.


The full statement circulated by Scottish Government is below.


With the herbicide Asulox no longer available to treat bracken, there was a need to update best practice guidance on bracken management, which was previously heavily weighted towards chemical treatment.


The UK nature conservation bodies, (Natural England, NatureScot, DAERA Northern Ireland, Natural Resources Wales) and the UK national historic advisory bodies, (Historic England, Historic Environment Scotland, Communities Northern Ireland and Cadw) commissioned revised guidance on bracken management, which has now been published on the NatureScot website: https://www.nature.scot/plants-animals-and-fungi/ferns/bracken


This preliminary guidance promotes best practice in bracken management across the UK and will be updated as further information emerges. It contains information on the range of different manual and mechanised treatment methods available with associated example case study information. A Bracken Management Plan template has also been included, to help land managers plan and monitor bracken treatment over a five year period.





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