Welcome!
fenPortal is the front-end for Freshwater Habitats Trust's database of headwater fens in England and Wales.
fenPortal was created as a repository for biological and hydrological data generated by Freshwater Habitats Trust's work on headwater fens, and as a proof-of-concept for a national central database for these habitats across England and Wales.
Currently, the data holding is best developed for Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire in England, to-date a focal region for the organisation's work on fens.
Features
fenPortal provides tools to view and manage Freshwater Habitats Trust's inventory of headwater fen sites and information about these special places.
Use the sidebar to:
- View a web map of key data.
- Manage the inventory of sites.
- Manage data sources.
- Search, enter and edit biological records, and other biological data.
- Use tools for biological and hydrological monitoring workflows.
- Explore hydrological data.
Other ways to access
The backend database is a fully GIS-enabled relational database, using the open source PostGIS platform.
A subset of data are served via GeoServer as Web Mapping Services (WMS) and Web Feature Services (WFS), accessible in desktop and web GIS platforms. Use the following URLs to access these.
- Public services:
- https://gis.freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/fens/wms
- https://gis.freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/fens/wfs
- Private services:
- https://gis.freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/fens-fht/wms
- https://gis.freshwaterhabitats.org.uk/fens-fht/wfs
For private services, use your fenPortal login.
The whole database is also accessible in desktop GIS applications. Connect by QGIS to access a dedicated project. See the documentation for more details.
Documentation
A guide to using fenPortal can be found here.
Full documentation for the database backend and associated architecture is available here.
Latest updates
Database statistics
Data sources
Data sources describe the origin of data stored in the database, and all biological data have an associated data source.
Data sources can include:
- Site surveys and monitoring, with their associated biological records, habitat mapping etc.
- Data obtained from third parties, such as biological records centres.
- Data digitised from books, journals etc.
The table shows all data source records in the Fen Database. If your login has permission, then you can edit existing data sources and add new ones.
Search results
Map of search results
Enter biological records
Enter & manage vegetation data
Plots
Plot visits
Plant species data
Import records
Import a comma-separated value (.csv) file of records. Download the import template from here.
Follow the workflow to validate the imported file and then upload the records to the database.
Match sites
Use the table to match each combination of site name and grid reference to a site in the database.
- If a grid reference is given then it will be automatically matched against sites within 10 metres.
- If there is one overlapping site, then the site is automatically matched. For multiple matches, you must choose one.
- If there is no overlap, then you must edit the grid reference until there is one, or leave it unmatched.
- If no grid reference is given then you'll need to choose a site.
If sites are left unmatched, then the corresponding records will not be imported.
Match taxa
Use the table to match each taxon name with a taxon from the UK Species Inventory (UKSI).
- If a taxon version key was given in the record, it will be automatically matched.
- If there is more than one taxon in the UKSI with a matching name, then choose a taxon to use.
If taxa are left unmatched, then the corresponding records will not be imported.
Upload records
Once sites and taxa have been matched, choose a data source and click 'Upload records' to upload records to the database. Records corresponding to unmatched sites or taxa will not be imported.
Site plant lists
Use this tool to generate lists of plants for use in site monitoring.
Choose a site and, optionally, one or more subsites, and click 'Download lists'. A comma separated value (.csv) download will be generated listing all plants recorded from the site and latest year of record for the selected site and subsite(s).
Site vegetation plot data
Use this tool to generate data from vegetation monitoring plots for use in future monitoring.
Choose a site and, optionally, one or more plots, and click 'Download data'. A comma separated value (.csv) download will be generated with the data from the specified site and plots. If you do not select any plots then all plots for the site will be included in the download.
Import target notes
To import target notes and photos recorded using ArcGIS Online, enter the REST URL for the feature service containing the data and click 'Import data'.
You can find the URL for a service on its details page - you just need to add the layer number to the end. The layer must follow the template available here, and the service must be shared publicly (e.g. via a view layer) or the URL should include an authentication key.
Target notes already imported will be skipped - these should be edited in the database.
Data sharing
The dropdown below shows the queries defined for sharing data with external organisations. Choose a data sharing definition to view properties. The table to the right shows the exports generated using that query.
Click the 'Create new export' button to run the query. A download will be automatically generated and a new record added to the table.
Hydrological monitoring installs
Install information (click map):
Plot of monitoring data
Loggers
Logger units owned by Freshwater Habitats Trust for use in monitoring fens.
Logger installation record
Logger configuration record
Import manual dipwell measurements
Use this page to import manual dipwell measurements to the database. First, specify one of the following two types of data source:
- ArcGIS Online feature service: Specify the REST URL for the layer containing the table of dipwell measurements. You can find the URL for a service on its details page - you just need to add the layer number to the end. To import from a feature service, it must be shared publicly (e.g. via a view layer) and follow the template available here.
- Comma-separated value (.csv) file: Upload a .csv file using the template available here. Using this method, data to import must be from the same site.
Data to import
Optional query parameters:
Choose a .csv file to import. The date-time column must be formated as yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm, e.g. '2023-04-14 13:00'.
Import data
Click the button below to import the query results into the database. Note that:
- If a subset of data to import is already present in the database (identified by the universal unique identifier column), then this will be skipped.
- Checking 'Import attachments' will import files attached to dip records. Only images in jpeg format will be imported, and files more than 500 kB will frst be compressed. Importing attachments will make the import slower.
Import data
Click the button below to import the .csv file to the database. If the database already contains a record of a measurement for a given installation and date/time then that record will be updated rather than a new record added.