lowland heathland - natural england

Lowland heathlanda cultural and endangered landscape

working today for nature tomorrow

Coastal heath with western gorse and bell heather, North Wales Woodfall Wild Images DWO15064

What is lowland heathland?

Lowland heathland is a broad

term that refers to a mosaic of

wet, damp and dry habitats,

characterised by attractively

flowering dwarf shrubs such as

heathers (ling, bell and cross-

leaved heaths) and gorses

(common, western or dwarf).

They are generally found on

poor, acidic soils, in relatively

wet areas with a mild

temperature and below about

300 metres altitude. They

support many rare plants and

animals, such as the marsh

gentian, southern damselfly,

nightjar and sand lizard, which

often live only in these areas.

Most heathlands developed during orafter the Stone Age (some 3,500 ago)in areas with poor soils, where treeswere removed and grazing or burningprevented their regrowth. Lowlandheathland also occurs naturally insome coastal areas, where the harshenvironmental conditions prevent treegrowth.

Open heathland is rarer than rainforest. In the UK we have only about16% left of the area that existed in1800. That means that from an areasimilar to the size of Cornwall, onlythe equivalent of the Isle of Wightremains. The process of loss and

1Lowland heathland – a cultural and endangered landscape

Lowland heathlanda cultural and endangered landscape

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disintegration has beenparticularly fast in recentdecades. However, thiscountry still holds 20% (morethan 60,000 hectares) of thewhole world’s lowlandheathland. Thus there

is a need, not only to preserve andimprove our remaining heathlands,but if possible, to re-create them inareas where they have recently beenlost. There is a special case forlinking small fragments of heathlands,where the few remaining species arestretched for space and riskdisappearing in the event of a fire, tocreate areas which can maintain awider range of wildlife and cansurvive in the future.

Where does lowland heathlandoccur?

The most significant areas for lowlandheathland in the UK include thecounties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset,

Hampshire, Norfolk, Staffordshire,Suffolk, Surrey, Pembrokeshire,

West Glamorgan and WestGwynedd. There are small

areas in Kent, Lincolnshire,the Vale of York andthe Midlands.

There is littlelowland heathland inScotland. However,some forms ofheathland occur at

low altitudes, whichare similar in character to

those in England, Wales andNorthern Ireland. They appear usuallynear the farms or agricultural holdings,although mostly as small fragments.The most distinctive and extensive arethe coastal heaths.

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Lowland heathland distribution in the UK

Why are heathlands importantfor wildlife?

A heathland is much more thanheathers and gorses. Areas ofheathland may also contain grasses, afew flowers, some trees, bare groundand, in some cases, ponds or runningwater. In many sites, heathlands formpart of bigger landscape units togetherwith other habitats such as grasslands,woodlands, mires or scrub.

As mentioned, lowland heathlands arehome to many plants and animalswhose distribution range hasdecreased along with thedisintegration or disappearance of thehabitat or the lack of management ofmany heaths. Although there are nomammals that live only on lowlandheaths, some are very characteristicinhabitants of this landscape.Rabbits, for example, an introducedspecies which used to be consideredan agricultural pest, have shaped the


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vegetation, and maintained theopenness of the heaths. Rabbits areparticularly important in the EastAnglian heaths, where they wereoriginally bred for foodand fur. Cattle,sheep and poniesalso grazed theheathlands forcenturies.

There are fewbirds restricted toheathlands, butsome are veryspecialised. Dartfordwarblers, nightjars and stonecurlews are some of the speciesprimarily associated with lowlandheathland, but many others live inareas where heathland is one of thecomponents of the landscape, such askestrels, hobbies and stonechats;Dartford warblers andnightjars use mosaics ofscrub and open heathto forage, breed andperch. It is thereforeimportant to keep somescrub as part of theheathland landscape.

However, small plants like theyellow centaury can only growin open sandy or peaty bareground. Animals as diverse as theblack and red sand wasps, theladybird spider and sand lizard rely onthe presence of bare sand to hunt andlay their eggs.

Many insects have heathlands as theirprimary habitat and feed on grassesand flowers typical of the heaths.Some of them are not very mobile, sofragmentation and deterioration of thehabitat is a serious threat to them.

Some species,such as silver-studded blue

butterfly, require acontinuous supply of

young heather, awarm microclimate

and vegetation witha varied age structure

for shelter and roosting.The leaves and flowers of plants

such as sorrel, ragwort or yarroware vitally important for moths andnectar-feeding invertebrates.

A particularly controversial inhabitantof the heathlands, in both theuplands and the lowlands, is theheather beetle. Sporadicincreases in the number ofindividuals can cause severe

damage to thevegetation, especiallyto the mature, uniform

stands. However, theyare a natural part of theenvironment and mostsites regeneratenaturally in a fewyears. Stands with

plants of different ages areless likely to suffer from severeoutbreaks. Recently, however, thenumber of outbreaks seems to be


Silver-studded blue Alan Barnes/NHPA BU/APBOOO451A

Ladybird spiderPeter Merritt

increasing, probably becausethe heather plants have becomemore susceptible to attack as aresult of atmospheric pollutionincreasing the nutritive value of theplants.

Management issues

The management of heathland for itswildlife can be complicated, as somespecies require very specificconditions. When heathlands were

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A sand waspRoger Key/English Nature

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larger and exploited economically, itis likely that there was enoughvariation in the environment to caterfor all its species. Marsh gentian is aplant only common in damp areas inthe southern heathlands. The idealmanagement to maintain it is lightgrazing, which eliminates or reducesstronger competitors for light andnutrient, such as purple moor-grass.Small scale turf-cutting or controlledwinter burning will also help toproduce a nice blue dotted carpet inlate summer.

Bogs, pools and mires are also part ofthe heathland complex. Where thesoil is very acidic and nutrient-poor,one can often find a fascinating groupof plants that specialise in trappinginsects to supplement their diet.Some of the more characteristic are

the sundews, whose leaves have red-tipped sticky hairs to capture insects.This sort of habitat is also home toraft spiders and amphibians. Amongthe amphibians, the natterjack toad isfound only in open habitats, such assand dunes and lowland heathland. A lack of management results in thevegetation growing too high and too


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dense, and this means a loss of shelterand hunting areas for the toads. Thesame is true for the sand lizard,another typical inhabitant of theheaths. Sand lizards require unshadedareas of sand and mature, also sunnystands of heather on south-facingslopes. When near to urban areasthere is an increased risk ofdestruction of the habitat by fires,hunting by domestic cats and severepressure from public recreation. Allsix native British reptiles are found insome lowland heaths in Britain.

It is, therefore, important to maintainnot only all the elements of thehabitat but also keep the structuralvariety to benefit all the potentialheathland inhabitants.

Heathlands as pieces of ancientand modern history

The agricultural use and managementof heathlands has been very similarall over Western Europe and is part ofour common cultural heritage. Mostheathlands have traces of human useand occupation from their origin,thousands of years ago, right up to thepresent day. Earthworks, barrows,ditches and trenches are some of theremains of these past activities.

Mesolithic people (8,000 to 6,000 BC)almost certainly herded animals beforethe agricultural period, and cleared theforest, probably by burning it, toprovide pasture. This drastic change

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led to the degradation andimpoverishment of the soils, on whichheathers then grew. Up until thebeginning of the 20th centuryheathlands were a part of the farmingsystem, being used for cutting turf,cutting vegetation for fodder and fuel,and being burnt to supply continuousforage. Turf was used for building orfuel and, in some countries, mixed withanimal dung and spread over the arablefields as fertiliser. Some secondaryproducts are also typical of heathlands,for example honey and wax, cheese,heather beer and liquors, wild fruitsand some handcrafted objects.

The areas where lowland heathlandoccurs have a mild climate thatallowed domestic cattle, which were

mostly hardy breeds, to grazethroughout the year. Often it was notnecessary even to provide shelter, sofarmers did not need to do muchshepherding, and could concentrateon other farming activities.Increasingly, intensive farmingpractices have resulted in different,more profitable breeds beingselected, and grazing on heaths beingall but abandoned in the lowlands.In contrast, intensification hasresulted in upland heaths beingovergrazed.

Nowadays the importance of lowlandheathlands is recognised by nationaland international designations whichshould help to ensure their protectionagainst further losses.


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Why is heathland a rare habitat?

At one time, heathlands occurred overseveral million hectares along theAtlantic coasts of Europe, but habitatlosses have been substantial duringthe last 200 years in all countries.The main causes of loss in the UKhave been:● Development – towns and roads

have been built on what used to beheathland, for example aroundBournemouth. Many of theremaining heaths in the south ofBritain are threatened by theirproximity to urban areas frompollution, arson and disturbance.

● Conifer planting – heaths wereconsidered a ‘waste land’ andcommercial plantations were seenas a way of obtaining someeconomic benefits from the land.

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● Changes in agricultural practices– on one hand, the availability ofcheap artificial fertilisers madeit easier to reclaim heathlandareas, on otherwise poor soils,for agriculture. On the other,traditional grazing practiceshave disappeared in all but a fewplaces, for example The NewForest.

● Mining – some of the soilswhere heathlands occur are poorfor agriculture but rich inmineral resources such as gravelor China clay.

● Misconceptions – a commonlyshared view is that heaths are “awaste and barren land”, withlittle wildlife or other value.

Nowadays, the lack of appropriatemanagement is the main threat to theremaining heathlands. Although theyare very valuable for wildlife andpublic enjoyment, their economicalvalue is small and their abandonmenthas led to the invasion of undesiredspecies, or the overgrowth of some ofthe typical heathland species.

Being a mostly man-made landscape,with a tendency to develop intowoodland, heathlands cannot survivewithout active management. All theplants and animals that havespecialised and adapted to the openhabitats over thousands of yearswould disappear if their habitatsbecome shaded and overgrown.


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What do we need to do toconserve and restore ourlowland heathlands?

Many lowland heathlands providepeaceful enjoyment, scenic views andrecreation for millions of visitorsevery year. In the UK most lowlandheathlands are designated as Sites orAreas of Special Scientific Interest(SSSIs/ASSIs) under the Wildlife andCountryside Act 1981. Many of theseare also part of the European Natura2000 network, protected under theBirds and the Habitats Directives. However, the attachment of adesignation does not automaticallyguarantee the conservation of thehabitat. Appropriate activemanagement must be carried outregularly to maintain the remainingheathland areas. For example:

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● Grazing: grazing was afundamental part of traditionalmanagement of the lowlandheathland areas. The use of theright animals and at the right timeof the year is believed to be in mostcases the best possible managementto maintain the openness anddiversity of the habitat.

● Control of invasive species: someheathland species, such as bracken,gorse and scrub, were cut as fodderfor the farm animals. Nowadaysthey do not have any economicvalue and they have increased inarea beyond advisable conservationlimits. Exotic species, such asrhododendron and gaultheria (orshallon), have escaped fromgardens and spread aggressively onheathlands, shading and excludingthe native species.

● Maintaining low nutrient levels: theenrichment of the soils, throughlitter accumulation, fertilisation oratmospheric deposition of nutrientstilts the ecological balance towardsless specialised vegetation whichcan out-compete the heathers.

● Management of recreationalpressure: heathlands and theirwildlife are susceptible to damageby excessive trampling, motorbikesand horse-riding in sensitive areas,as well as by arson fires.

The need for restoration and re-creation is recognised in theGovernment’s UK Biodiversity ActionPlan. Some of the aims of this planare to restore all existing heaths andre-create a further 6,000 hectares by2005. Maintaining the currentheathlands and creating new ones


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require a great economic and humaneffort which has resulted in theformation of strong partnershipsamong organisations interested innature conservation.

Several programmes have takenplace in recent years in Britain,which aim to restore heathlands orto re-create them on sites wherethey have been lost. There may befunds available to manage, restoreand re-create heaths on designatedsites from the country conservationagencies and other conservationorganisations. These and otherareas can also benefit fromvoluntary environmental landmanagement schemes, whichoperate throughout the UK.

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Further reading

GIMINGHAM, C.H., 1972. Ecology ofHeathlands. Chapman and Hall, London.266 pages.

MICHAEL, N., 1996. The lowlandheathland management booklet version2.0. English Nature Science. No. 11,Peterborough: English Nature.

WEBB, N., 1986. Heathlands. Anatural history of Britain’s lowlandheaths. Collins, London. 223 pages.

UK BIODIVERSITY GROUP, 1995.Lowland Heathland, A costed HabitatPlan. HMSO. London.

TOMORROW’S HEATHLANDHERITAGE, 2002. Enjoying yourheathland heritage, a free guide toheathland access and walks in this areaand elsewhere in the UK. Peterborough:English Nature.

Contact names and addresses:

Butterfly ConservationManor Yard, East Lulworth, nearWareham, Dorset BH20 5QPTel: 01929 400209www.butterfly-conservation.orgCharitable body concerned with theconservation of butterflies and moths andtheir habitats.

Countryside AgencyJohn Dower House, Crescent Place,Cheltenham GL50 3RATel: 01242 521381www.countryside.gov.ukContact for National Parks, Areas of

Outstanding Natural Beauty and awide range of countryside matters.

Countryside Council for WalesPlas Penrhos, Ffordd Penrhos, BangorGwynedd LL57 2LQ, Wales. Tel: 01248 385500 www.ccw.gov.uk Contact for all matters concerningcountryside conservation, Sites ofSpecial Scientific Interest in Walesand the Tir Gofal Scheme.

Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment Northern IrelandCountryside Management Division,Dundonald House, UpperNewtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3SBTel: 01232 520100www.dardni.gov.uk Contact for information onEnvironmental Land ManagementSchemes in Northern Ireland.

Department for Environment, Food &Rural AffairsNobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR. Tel: 020 7238 6000www.defra.gov.ukContact for information onEnvironmental Land ManagementSchemes in England. Co-ordinatesimplementation of the UKBiodiversity Action Plan

English NatureNorthminster House, Peterborough PE1 1UA Tel: 01733 455101www.english-nature.org.uk Contact for all matters concerningnature conservation, Sites of Special


Scientific Interest and the WildlifeEnhancement Scheme. Lead agency forthe conservation of lowland calcareousgrassland under the UK BiodiversityAction Plan.

Environmental & Heritage ServiceCommonwealth House, 35 Castle Street,Belfast BT1 1GU, Northern Ireland.Tel: 029 9025 1477www.nics.gov.uk/ehs/Contact for matters relating to theconservation of the natural and builtheritage including responsibilty for Areasof Special Scientific Interest.

The Herpetological Conservation Trust655A Christchurch Road,Boscombe, Bournemouth,Dorset BH1 4APTel: 01202 391319www.hcontrst.f9.co.ukCharitable organisation concerned withthe conservation of reptiles andamphibians.

National Assembly for Wales AgricultureDepartmentCrown Buildings, Cathays Park,Cardiff CF1 3NQTel: 029 20825111www.wales.gov.uk/subiagriculture Contact for information on ESAs in Wales.

National Trust33 Sheep Street, Cirencester,Gloucestershire GL7 1RQTel: 01285 651818www.nationaltrust.org.ukCharitable body concerned with theconservation of places of historic interestand natural beauty in England, Wales andNorthern Ireland.

Plantlife21 Elizabeth Street, London SW1W 9RP Tel: 020 7808 0100www.plantlife.org.ukCharitable body concerned with theconservation of wild plants and theirhabitats.

Royal Society for the Protection of BirdsThe Lodge, Sandy,Bedfordshire SG19 2DL Tel: 01767 680551 www.rspb.org.ukCharitable body concerned with theconservation of wild birds and their habitats.

Scottish Executive Rural AffairsDepartmentPentland House, 47 Robb’s Loan,Edinburgh EH14 1TY Tel: 0131 556 8400 www.scotland.gov.uk Contact for information on EnvironmentalLand Management Schemes in Scotland(ESAs and the Rural Stewardship Scheme).

Scottish Natural Heritage12 Hope Terrace, Edinburgh EH9 2ASTel: 0131 447 4784www.snh.org.uk Contact for all matters concerningcountryside conservation and Sites ofSpecial Scientific Interest in Scotland.

The Wildlife TrustsUK Office, The Kiln, Waterside, Mather Road, Newark, NG24 1WTTel: 01636 677711www.wildlifetrusts.orgVoluntary conservation organisationconcerned with the conservation of wildlifethroughout the UK. Contact forinformation on Local Wildlife Trusts.

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Iping Common, West Sussex Bob Gibbons/Natural Image 20,1096

English Nature is theGovernment agency that champions theconservation of wildlifeand geology throughoutEngland.

This is one of a range ofpublications published by: External Relations Team English NatureNorthminster HousePeterborough PE1 1UA

www.english-nature.org.uk

© English Nature 2002

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Front cover photographs:Top left: Bog asphodelRoger Key/English NatureBottom left: Tiger beetleRoger Key/English NatureMain: Hartland Moor NNR, DorsetBob Gibbons/Natural Image 20,1364

lowland heathland - natural england

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