Action Plan: Heather Moorland

Heather moorland is characterised by dwarf shrubs with normally Calluna vulgaris as the dominant species. Dwarf shrub heaths are of international importance and are protected under the EC Habitats Directive. They are largely confined in Europe to the UK and the western seaboard of mainland Europe. The total upland heath resource in the UK amounts to between 2 and 3 million hectares, with this habitat type present on an estimated 270,000 ha in England. Heather moorland is typical of nutrient poor, acidic soils. Blanket bog and other mires, grassland, bracken, scrub, trees and woodland, freshwater and rock habitats frequently form mosaics with heathland vegetation.

Heather moorland is often managed for grouse shooting, providing an important economic incentive to maintain upland heathland, with burning and grazing regimes administered to prevent succession to scrub. However, environmentally damaging burning regimes and over grazing can lead to the invasion of species such as purple moor grass (Molina) and bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) or the reversion of heather moor to grass. Many moors are of ornithological importance for ground nesting birds such as black grouse, golden plover, red grouse, hen harrier and merlin. Associated with moorland fringes are the curlew, snipe, twite and redshank. The invertebrate fauna is also especially diverse.