Heathland

Overview

When thinking of heathland, the south eastern and coastal county of Sussex might not spring to mind. But this habitat does exist here, in precious pockets, and is home to a variety of rare wildlife.

The heathland in Sussex is lowland heathland, which is defined by the poor fertility of its soils. Nutrients gradually accumulate allowing larger, more vigorous plants to become established at the expense of smaller, less competitive species. This results in heathland eventually developing into birch or pine woodland if left to its own devices. Traditional heathland activities such as livestock grazing and burning have played a vital role in allowing heathland to persist over the centuries.

What the Heather holds

Within this rather hostile landscape, highly adapted wildlife thrives. Plants preferring the poor, acidic heathland soils flourish. Some resort to unusual means to gain nutrients. Carnivorous Sundew plants have glandular tentacles with sticky droplets on their leaves, which catch unwary insects and curl inwards to gradually absorb the nutrients released. 

Bees, wasps and butterflies are plentiful. A couple of rare species to look out for are the Potter Wasp and the Silver-studded Blue Butterfly. The heath also makes an ideal hunting ground for many of the UK’s spiders, with over 30% of British spider species found at Iping and Stedham Common nature reserve alone.

Heathland supports all six of the native British species of reptile, which bask in the open. Certain bird species depend on this landscape for their survival. Woodlarks nest in the bare, sandy patches and the Dartford Warbler, now almost lost in Britain, can’t survive here without this particular landscape. On an early summer’s evening you may be lucky enough to hear a Nightjar’s churring call. Other birds that make the heathland their home include Redstarts, Stonechats and Hobbys.

If there are wetter areas or an acid pond present, you might see dragonflies and damselflies skimming the surface in the warmer months. Keep your eyes peeled for some interesting plants underfoot, including the very rare Marsh Clubmoss.

Sundew © Neil Fletcher

Sussex heathland

As UK heathland is lost it becomes more and more difficult for these species to exist in Britain. Lowland Heathland is classed as a priority habitat under the UK Biodiversity Action Plan, with approximately 20% of the lowland heath in Europe being found in the UK. In Sussex, heathland makes up around 3000 hectares, or around 1% of the county, with the Ashdown Forest containing the largest surviving heathland area in South East England.

As well as lowland heath, there are also examples in Sussex of rare chalk heath, where chalk and acidic deposits overlap; playing host to a range of chalk grassland and heathland plants. In areas where the free drainage of the soil is impeded, you can also find areas of wet heath.

We are working to restore our heathland reserves using a combination of conservation methods such as grazing and invasive species management, prioritising species that would not be able to survive were it not for the careful maintenance of these habitats.