Habitat Action Plans - Lowland Heathland and Dry Acid Grassland
Definition of lowland acid grassland is problematical but here it is defined as both enclosed and unenclosed acid grassland normally below c.300m. It is characterised by a range of grasses and herbs, and in East Anglia, the typical community is NVC U1 comprising
sheep's-fescue Festuca ovina, common bent Agrostis capillaris and sheep's sorrel Rumex acetosella. Other species may include wavy hair-grass Deschampsia flexuosa, heath bedstraw Galium saxatile and tormentil Potentilla erecta. It occurs as an integral part of lowland heath landscapes, often forming an intricate mosaic with dwarf shrub heath. As a result it may be difficult to calculate separate areas of each community.
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Click to view the draft Lowland Heathland and Dry Acid Grassland Action Plan |
Current Status
Definition
- The National Plan identifies heathland as consisting of 'an ericaceous layer of varying heights and structures, some areas of scattered trees and scrub, areas of bare ground, gorse, wet heaths, bogs and open water'. In Norfolk, heathland is much more of a mosaic, with acid grassland and bracken often being significant elements. Even more distinctive are the heaths of the Brecks which include chalk grassland.
National Status
- In England only a sixth of the heathland present in 1800 now remains. The UK has about 58,000 acres of lowland heathland, which represents about 20% of the international total of this habitat.
- As with other lowland semi-natural grassland types, acid grassland has undergone substantial decline in the 20th century although there are no figures available on rates of loss. The decline is mostly due to agricultural intensification although locally, as in Breckland, afforestation has been significant.
- Cover data for lowland acid grassland across the UK for the full altitudinal range are not currently available. Stands remote from the upland fringe, which are the primary focus of conservation attention, are now of restricted occurrence and it is estimated that less than 30,000 ha now remain in the UK. Important concentrations occur in Breckland, the New Forest, Dorset, Suffolk Sandlings, the Weald, Dungeness, the coasts of south-west England and the Welsh and English border hills of Powys and Shropshire. Scotland is estimated to have less than 5,000 ha and much of this is likely to be on the upland fringe. Extensive areas of acid grassland are included within sites designated as common land, but separate figures for uplands and lowlands are not available.
Norfolk Status
- It has been estimated that the extent of heathland (taking a wide definition) in 1797 was 30,500ha. The estimate of that existing today is 4,757ha, which represents a decline of 84% . However the Stanford Training Area, which has a huge and very important area of largely relatively recent grass heath of about 2,000ha, represents nearly half this figure, ie heathland outside STANTA totals only about 2,500ha (c.1,000 in Norfolk Breckland and c.1,500ha elsewhere). This area may be contrasted with English Nature's Heathland Inventory total for Norfolk of only 575.5ha, about 207ha in the Norfolk Brecks and 369ha elsewhere. These figures are based on a very tight definition of heathland, ie that covered by heathers. The contrast in these totals underlines the difference between Norfolk heaths, and the more usual heather-dominated areas of elsewhere. About 77% of Norfolk's existing heathland is covered by Site of Special Scientific Interest designation.
- Priority species associated with Norfolk heaths for which local action plans have been or will be prepared by the Heath BAP Group are tower mustard, silver-studded blue butterfly, nail fungus, starry breck lichen, pillwort, nightjar, woodlark, red-backed shrike, a solitary wasp (Cerceris quinquefasciata) and two ground beetles (Harpalus punctatulus and Harpalus froelichi). The Farmland BAP Group will be producing Action Plans for stone curlew, skylark, grey partridge and linnet and the Coastal BAP Group are progressing with an Action Plan for natterjack toad.
Current factors causing loss or decline in Norfolk
- Encroachment of trees, shrubs and bracken due to abandonment of traditional management such as grazing and gathering fuelwood and to some extent controlled burning, affects most sites, including even SSSIs.
- Declining availability of water for wetland areas within heaths.
- Uncontrolled fires, particularly in summer.
- Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen may be causing a decline in quality of heaths.
- Non-statutory sites have been damaged and even ploughed up, and remain at risk.
- Decline of habitat quality is due to the continued tree cover.
- Access provision of the CROW Act acts as a possible disincentive for heathland re-creation to some landowners entering into re-creation schemes.
- Losses to agriculture have been a major factor in the past. With the recent introduction of current EIA regulations, hopefully losses have ceased.
Current Action in Norfolk
The Brecks
- Norfolk Wildlife Trust has three Breck heath reserves totalling 385ha, employs a Breckland Field Officer, and is developing a visitor centre at Weeting Heath which will provide interpretation regarding the Breck heaths. The NWT provides advice on habitat management and characteristic Breck species.
- Defra's Breckland Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) scheme has a project officer, and has secured, in Norfolk, positive management of 1,877ha of existing heath in 26 agreements, and the re-creation of 189ha in 16 agreements.
- The Brecks Countryside Project has successfully heightened the profile of Breckland heaths in the wider community, and initiated positive action with an emphasis on local involvement at many sites.
- A partnership comprising English Nature, Forestry Commission, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and Brecks Countryside Project, with funding from the National Lottery as part of the Tomorrow's Heathland Heritage initiative are working to undertake restoration works on 6,284ha and re-create 300ha of heath in the Brecks (250ha in Norfolk) between 2002-06.
- English Nature has designated 13 SSSIs that are heaths, or have an element of heathland, in the Norfolk Brecks. The majority of these are in positive management, two are National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and one a Local Nature Reserve (LNR). EN's recently published Breckland Natural Area profile provides much detail about the area's heathland wildlife.
- Forest Enterprise is restoring 250ha of heathland in Breckland. Five sites have been cleared of trees, fenced and grazing introduced. Restoration management works are being carried out as part of a 5 year Heathland Heritage Project. The sites are: Cranwich Camp, Cranwich Heath, Hockwold Heath, Santon Warren and Harling Heath.
Norfolk Excluding The Brecks
- Defra's Countryside Stewardship Scheme has secured management of 426ha of existing heathland and the re-creation of 98ha of heathland throughout the county. Heathland management and re-creation is targeted as a key scheme objective in the Horsford Area, on the Holt/Cromer Ridge and in West Norfolk using the EN North Norfolk Heaths Re-creation Strategy.
- A partnership comprising English Nature, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, National Trust, Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council and Norwich Fringe Project, with funding from the National Lottery as part of Tomorrow's Heathland Heritage initiative are working to restore 750ha and re-create 75ha of heath in North Norfolk between 2002-04.
- English Nature has notified 14 SSSIs that are heaths or have an element of heathland, of which two are NNRs. EN has nine positive management agreements over 327ha. A recent emphasis in funding has been towards supporting sustainable management through grazing. EN's North Norfolk Natural Area document provides much detail about the importance of heathland and its wildlife.
- Norfolk Wildlife Trust has four heathland nature reserves totalling 253ha, and has taken on management responsibility for a further 197ha at four other sites. Much recent effort has gone into trying to achieve sustainable management through fencing and grazing, with increasing use of a flying flock. It also provides advice to heath landowners through CWS system.
- The National Trust is seeking the restoration of several heath areas from neglect or conifer plantations on the Holt-Cromer Ridge, totalling 23ha, and owns another 6ha heath at Blickling.
- The Norfolk Heaths Forum (NHF) is important for facilitating the exchange of information and provides a focus for co-ordinated action. NHF is comprised of: Forest Enterprise, English Nature, FWAG, Defra (RDS), National Trust, Norfolk Wildlife Trust, RSPB and Norfolk County Council.
- Norfolk County Council has produced a topic paper on heathland and advises on heath management as well as being directly involved in a small number of sites, including two heathland LNRs. Work has been undertaken to re-create heath on minerals extraction sites (NCC - Minerals Planning Authority).
- Norwich City Council has declared Mousehold Heath an LNR.
- FWAG is working with landowners to promote re-creation of heathland using the EN Heathland Re-creation Plan.
- Between 2002-04 the South Norfolk Claylands project, a partnership between English Nature, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and Norfolk County Council, has re-created 2.5ha acid grassland/heath in South Norfolk.
- A partnership of EN, RSPB, FC, FE and EEDA established a regional Heathland Opportunity Mapping Project in June 2003, to identify and cost, the priority sites for heathland re-creation within the East of England. The final draft was completed and published in August 2004.
Action Plan Objectives and Targets
National
- Maintain, and improve by management, all existing lowland heathland.
- Encourage the re-establishment of a further 6,000ha of heathland by 2005, with the emphasis, in England, on the eight heathland counties including Norfolk
- Arrest the depletion of lowland acid grassland throughout the UK. Revised.
- Within SSSIs and ASSIs initiate rehabilitation management for all significant stands of lowland acid grassland in unfavourable condition by 2005. Revised.
- Wherever biologically feasible, achieve favourable status of all significant stands of lowland acid grassland within SSSIs and ASSIs by 2010. Revised.
- For stands outside SSSIs, secure favourable condition over 30% of the resource by 2005. Revised.
- For stands outside SSSIs, secure favourable condition over as near to 100% of the resource as is practicable by 2015. Revised.
- Attempt to re-establish 500 ha of lowland acid grassland of wildlife value at carefully targetted sites by 2010. Revised.
Norfolk
- Maintain 100% of current resource (4,757ha) .
- Ensure 95% of SSSI heathland sites (by area) are in favourable condition by 2010.
- Seek to increase the extent of heathland by 10% from the current estimate of 2,500 (Brecks and rest of the County) by 2006. The larger part of this 250ha to come from former heath currently under recent secondary woodland or conifer plantation, and all to be managed as sustainably as possible.
- Provide advice to landowners of 5 neglected heathland CWS with regard to management and funding options for restoration by 2005.
- In the rest of Norfolk, re-create 70ha of heathland on former minerals sites by 2010.
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