PROJECT DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
Lowland heathland is an internationally important but rapidly diminishing habitat type which is only found below 350 metres. The United Kingdom has more of this lowland heath than any other country in Europe and at the time of project inception contained 20% of the Union’s total. One of the most important remaining areas can be found in Dorset, where 40 distinct sites totalling some 7 900 ha have been identified. For hundreds of years, Dorset heathland was at the basis of a rural economy. The poor soils, together with such farming practices as pony and cattle grazing, turf cutting and controlled burning, meant that only hardy plants - such as heather, ling and other dwarf shrubs - could survive. This also created a unique environment for a particularly rich variety of species, including - in the United Kingdom - the entire British population of Dartford warbler, and other rare birds such as the nightjar and the woodlark. All six species of native British reptiles, including the Annex IV species sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) and smooth snake (Coronella austriaca), occur within the Dorset heaths. However, once the agricultural practices came to an end, the Dorset heaths lost their economic value and, consequently, declined dramatically over the next century to only 30% of their original surface area. The Dorset heathlands continue to decrease at an alarming rate as a result of neglect and changing vegetation.
(See also LIFE95 NAT/UK/000832 Conservation and re-establishment of Southern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica ciliaris and Erica tetralix and Dry coastal heaths with Erica vagans and Ulex maritimus in SW England and NW France.)
OBJECTIVES
Recognising their important recreational value so close to a major conurbation, the present project aims to reverse the decline in heathland through the active management and restoration of key sites. This will principally involve the removal of invasive species and the re-introduction of a varied heather habitat and species distribution. It will be supported by a long-term monitoring programme, a cost benefit analysis of different management techniques and, where essential, land purchase. The objective are to connect many of the fragmented sites, increase the total area of managed heathland by 10% in five years and to devise innovative management techniques that can be applied to similar habitats in the UK and across Europe. One additional spin-off from the project will be the potential creation of jobs resulting from the training of a highly skilled workforce.
RESULTS
As a direct result of the project the area of heathland actually increased for the first time in the 1900s. Active management converted forested heathland back to open heathland:
Some 262 ha of degraded heathland were restored at strategic locations; the RSPB undertook a further 87 ha of heathland management at Arne and Stoborough; and an additional 210 ha of heathland were restored by other organisations (including Forest Enterprise);
The Herpetological Conservation Trust – a project partner – carried out management/restoration work at 43 sites in Dorset;
Monitoring of Annex I breeding bird species showed a substantial increase in the period 1993-1995, but not all attributable to the project (Dartford warbler +28%; nightjar +10%; and wood lark +39%);
A detailed cost-benefit assessment on the management techniques was produced;
4 key heathland sites were brought into nature conservation ownership or control - Tadnoll (54 ha by purchase); Worgret Heath (part purchased, part under management agreement, but not EC co-finance); Great Ovens Hill (40 ha purchased); and Town Common (170 ha leased for 25 years); and
Four training workshops were held.
Finally, the project put the beneficiary in an informed position to provide policy guidance to local authorities relating to heathland conservation and protection from development threats.As a direct result of the project the area of heathland actually increased for the first time in the 1900s. Active management converted forested heathland back to open heathland:
Some 262 ha of degraded heathland were restored at strategic locations; the RSPB undertook a further 87 ha of heathland management at Arne and Stoborough; and an additional 210 ha of heathland were restored by other organisations (including Forest Enterprise);
The Herpetological Conservation Trust – a project partner – carried out management/restoration work at 43 sites in Dorset;
Monitoring of Annex I breeding bird species showed a substantial increase in the period 1993-1995, but not all attributable to the project (Dartford warbler +28%; nightjar +10%; and wood lark +39%);
A detailed cost-benefit assessment on the management techniques was produced;
4 key heathland sites were brought into nature conservation ownership or control - Tadnoll (54 ha by purchase); Worgret Heath (part purchased, part under management agreement, but not EC co-finance); Great Ovens Hill (40 ha purchased); and Town Common (170 ha leased for 25 years); and
Four training workshops were held.
Finally, the project put the beneficiary in an informed position to provide policy guidance to local authorities relating to heathland conservation and protection from development threats.