Action Plan: Coastal Heathland

Coastal Heathland is located adjacent but inland from the coast avoiding sea spray influences and is historically associated with maritime cliff and slope communities.It forms on acidic sand in dune systems and is also found over rock and thin soils. It occurrs in a mosaic of semi natural habitat of scrub and bracken. Coastal heathlands are thought to have been more extensive inland of dune systems in the past but these areas have been lost due to coastal road and railway developments, fairway creation and agricultural improvements.