Burning Heather – do you know its importance?

Walter Fleming and his son Richard operate a mixed dairy, suckler cow and sheep farm in the Sperrins near Gortin, Co Tyrone. The farm has over 100 ha of heather moorland, which is used to support a 300 ewe breeding sheep flock. They have been successfully burning small areas of heather on their farm for a number of years ensuring a patchwork of different heather types, which brings benefits to the environment.

Rotational heather burning is essential for good moorland management. If not managed, heather grows into a dense mass of long woody stems, which supports very little wildlife and has reduced nutritional value for livestock.

Heather cannot be burned between 15 April and 31 August. Burning inside these dates results in a breach of Cross Compliance. Now that 1 September has passed, heather regeneration by burning is permitted.

Burning removes dead material and recycles nutrients. This encourages fresh new growth to sprout from existing heather plants. Burning maintains heather moorland and prevents natural succession, which would otherwise result in growth of scrub and birch woodland.

The burning cycle creates a pattern of different aged heather. The oldest provides cover for birds like grouse and the new shoots provide succulent food for other birds and sheep. A well-burnt moorland will have a mosaic of heather and other moorland plants of differing ages, which will provide food for a broad spectrum of wildlife.

Heather burning is a very old method of controlling and prolonging the life cycle of heather. It is a very skilled operation and must be carried out with extreme caution. There are strict guidelines that must be adhered to for a successful and safe burn.

For further detailed information on heather burning, contact Countryside Management Staff at your local DARD office.