Lowland Heathland- Exmoor
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   Lowland Heathland Exmoor LBAP
Key factors
Glossary  


Extent/Distribution

On Exmoor, lowland and upland heaths frequently occur adjacent to each other and it is often very difficult to distinguish the communities in the transitional zone at their margins. These transitions most common on the heathlands of Exmoor and Dartmoor and have resulted in the designation of the Exmoor heaths as a pSAC. Areas of bracken, European gorse and hawthorn scrub also form an important element of the moorland vegetation mosaic.

There are thought to be about 1,500 hectares of lowland heath within the Exmoor National Park. Most of the resource lies along the coastal fringe, though additional areas occur around the lower fringes of the inland moors. About one third of the lowland heath resource has been lost to agricultural improvement and forestry this century.

Key sites:

North Hill and Selworthy Beacon.
Alcombe and Hopcott Commons.
Dunkery fringes and Ley Hill.
Holdstone and Trentishoe Downs.
Haddon Hill .

Threats

  • Cessation of management leading to scrub encroachment.
  • Frequent, uncontrolled fires resulting in under-representation of mature
    stands of dwarf-shrubs.
  • Rhododendron invasion of lowland heathland.
  • Past agricultural reclamation for agriculture and forestry, has resulted in
    loss and fragmentation of lowland heath.
  • The use of persistent veterinary chemicals can greatly reduce the diversity
    and biomass of the important dung invertebrate community.

Action Plan Objectives

  1. Maintain all existing high quality lowland heath in favourable condition.
  2. Initiate restoration of sub-optimal lowland heath to favourable condition.
  3. Re-create lowland heath on sites where it formerly occurred, with particular
    emphasis on the linking of existing fragments.
  4. Increase public awareness and appreciation of lowland heathland.
  5. Maintain and enhance populations of key species of conservation concern.

Action Plan Targets

  1. TARGET: Ongoing.
  2. TARGET: All by 2010.
  3. TARGET: 200 hectares by 2010.
  4. TARGET: Ongoing
  5. TARGET: Ongoing.

Current Action


Protection within the Exmoor Coastal Heaths, North Exmoor, South Exmoor and West Exmoor Coast and Woods SSSI and inclusion within the Exmoor HeathscSAC.

Ownership by NT, Crown Estate and ENPA of over 90% of the total lowland heath resource.

Approximately 50% of the lowland heath resource is in management agreements under MAFF’s Exmoor ESA scheme.

Alcombe Common, Hopcott Common and Rodhuish Common are in MAFF’s Countryside Stewardship scheme.

ENPA management agreement on lowland heath at Glenthorne. EN management agreements at Desolate, Porlock Common and North Hill.

Detailed vegetation survey data is available for approximately 80% of lowland heaths.

ENPA have produced a Moorland Research Strategy.

MAFF commissioned RSPB to carry out bird surveys that covered the majority of the lowland heath area in 1992-93. MAFF repeated the sample in 1997.

Invertebrate surveys were undertaken on North Hill and Bossington in 1996
and on Haddon Hill in 1998.

 

Proposed Action

Policy and legislation

[no information currently available]

Management

Seek to enter all lowland heath into ELMS with priority given to cSAC and SSSI
(by 2002). Partners: MAFF; EN; ENPA.

Consider notification of further areas of lowland heathland where these meet SSSI criteria (by 2005). Partners: EN.

Ensure all non-SSSI standard lowland heath is designated as CWS where it meets selection criteria (by 2001). Partners: SERC; DWT/DBRC.

Implement Habitats Directive to ensure favourable conservation status by;
a) agency review of consents,
b) EN seeking change to consents where conservation status is unfavourable,
c) establishing monitoring systems (all by 2002). Partners: EN; ENPA.

Ensure compliance with environmental conditions attached to livestock subsidies (ongoing). Partners: MAFF; EN; ENPA.

Begin restoration of sub-optimal lowland heath to favourable condition by;
a removal of scrub and rhododendron,
b re-introduction or reduction of grazing and burning (areas with
c SAC designation and /or BAP species by 2005, all by 2010).
Partners: MAFF; ENPA; EN CE.

Re-create lowland heathland by removal of coniferous woodland from former heathland sites. Partners: FC; FE; ENPA; EN; RSPB; CE.

Begin recreation of lowland heathland by experimental reversion of agriculturally improved land on former heathland sites (50 ha by 2010). Partners: ENPA; MAFF; EN; NT.

Promote use of non-persistent veterinary chemicals on all SSSI/CWS lowland heathland (by 2010). Partners: ENPA; SWT; DWT; FRCA


Research and monitoring


Produce an inventory of all lowland heathland using GIS-database, including an assessment of current condition (by 2002).Partners: ENPA; SERC; DWT/DBRC.

Monitor and review impact of ESA in maintaining and improving lowland heathland and make improvements where appropriate (ongoing). Partners: EN; ENPA.

Continue ESA grazing monitoring until results unequivocally show that stocking levels are maintaining all areas of lowland heath in favourable condition (ongoing). Partners: EN; ENPA.

Implement monitoring to assess compliance with, and impact of, burning programmes on ESA agreement areas (by 2001 then annually).Partners: ENPA; EN.

Use EN Grazing Index and other heathland condition survey techniques to monitor condition of selected areas of lowland heathland (5 areas by 2005 and then every 5 years). Partners: EN; ENPA.

Implement remaining actions in ENPA Moorland Research Strategy (by 2002). Partners: ENPA; EN; Universities.

Education and awareness raising

[no information currently available]


Progress

[no information currently available]

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