This blasted heath – the future of lowland heathland, acid grassland and mire.

Lecture series, Autumn 2014. Fridays Oct 10th to Nov 14th 2014, Birkbeck, University of London.

In Act I of “Macbeth”, Shakespeare used a heath near Forres as the forbidding setting of a supernatural encounter. Heaths have long had a bad public image. Most heaths are ancient, having been established when woodland was cleared in places with an underlying geology forming an impoverished acidic soil. They were maintained by traditional practices. However, they are diminishing throughout the country, even if pockets are still to be found in the southern counties and in the suburbs of London. These remnant heathlands are now much valued as natural open spaces. They are of immense value, as they support a specialised biota, some of which is not found elsewhere. Loss may be from ecological succession following the neglect of traditional management, or conversion to agriculture or to urban development. How can the remaining patches be saved? How can these important areas best be managed? Management practices in different sites will be discussed and compared. Current problems will be highlighted and specialised conditions for particular groups of plants and animals discussed.

Reading list, the future of lowland heathland, acid grassland and mire.

Alonso, I. et al. 2003. Lowland Heathland SSSIs: Guidance on conservation objectives setting and condition monitoring.English Nature Research Report 511.

Anon. 2009.Common Standards Monitoring Guidance for Lowland Heathland,

Version February 2009.Joint Nature Conservation Committee. 48pp.

Ausden, M., Allison, M., Bradley, P., Coates, M., Kemp, M. & Phillips, N. 2010.Increasing the resilience of our lowland dry heaths and acid grasslands.British Wildlife 22(2):101-109.

Ausden, M. & Kemp, M. 2005. Creating heathland by adding sulphur, and heather Calluna and bell heather Erica cuttings, at Minsmere RSPB Reserve, Suffolk, England.Conservation Evidence 2:24-25.

Darby, H.C. 1956. The Draining of the Fens. Cambridge University Press.

Diemont, W.H., Heijman, W.J.M., Siepel, H. & Webb N.R. (eds) 2013. Economy and Ecology of Heathlands. KNNV Publishing, Zeist, The Netherlands.

Fearnley, H. & Liley, D. 2013.Results of the 2012/13 visitor survey on the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA). Natural England Commissioned Reports, Number 136. publications.naturalengland.org.uk/file/5420023753474048

Haskins, L. 2000. Heathlands in an urban setting – effects of urban development on heathlands of south-east Dorset. British Wildlife 11(4): 229-237.

Joint Nature Conservation Committee 2011. Towards an assessment of the state of UK Peatlands JNCC report No. 445. Available from:

Kleijn, D. Bekker, R.M., Bobbink, R., De Graaf, M.C.C. & Roelofs, J.G.M. 2008. In search for key bigeochemical factors affecting plant species persistence in heathland and acidic grasslands: a comparison of common and rare species. Journal of Applied Ecology 45:680-687.

Lindsay, R.A. 1995. Bogs: The ecology, classification and conservation of ombrotrophic mires. Scottish natural Heritage, Battleby, Perth .

Lindsay, R.A. 2010. Peatbogs and Carbon – A Critical Synthesis.

Symes, N. C. and Day, J. 2003. A practical guide to the restoration and management of lowland heathland.The RSPB, Sandy.

Watt, A.S. 1955. Bracken versus heather, a study in plant sociology. Journal of Ecology,

43: 490-506.

Webb, N. 1986.Heathlands.A natural history of Britain’s lowland heaths.Collins New Naturalist, London.

Webb, N.R. 1998. The traditional management of European heathlands.Journal of Applied Ecology 35: 987-990,

Webb, N.R 2010. European heathlands: a case study in conservation practice. AnnalesSocietatisScientiarumFaeroensisSupplementum 52 pp. 139-156.Faroe University Press Thorshaven.

Wheeler, B.D., Shaw, S.C., Fojt, W.J, and Robertson, A.R. (eds.) 1995. Restoration of Temperate Wetlands. John Wiley & Sons, Chichester.

Wilson, P., Wheller, B., Reed, M. & Strange, A. 2013.A survey of selected agrienvironment grassland and heathland creation and restoration sites: Part 2.Natural England Commissioned Reports, Number 107. publications.naturalengland.org.uk/file/4531662