Guidelines for the Selection of Biological Heritage Sites
6. Section 1: Habitat Guidelines
6.6 HEATHLAND
Application (all heathland guidelines)
The term 'heathland' refers to areas of semi-natural vegetation in which dwarf shrubs are prominent developed over mineral soils or on peat less than 0.5m deep.
Justification (all heathland guidelines)
Ancient heathland, found only in the unenclosed uplands of Lancashire, is a valuable wildlife habitat. Heathland is a rare habitat in the lowlands, now restricted to small pockets of land which are usually associated with former mineral workings.
He1 Areas greater than 10 hectares in which any of the following dwarf shrubs, either individually or in combination, have more than 25% cover:
Calluna vulgaris
Heather
Vaccinium myrtillus
Bilberry
Empetrum nigrum
Crowberry
Application
Some areas dominated by dwarf shrubs are, in fact, mosaics of bog (see Guideline Bo4) and heathland and cannot be readily differentiated. Where such areas comply with the terms of Guidelines He1 or Bo4 they may be selected under whichever is the most appropriate guideline.
He2 Areas of heathland greater than 2 hectares in Landscape Character Tracts Ei and Eii (1) in which any of the dwarf shrubs listed in He1, either individually or in combination, have more than 25% cover.
He3 Areas of heathland greater than 0.5 hectares in Landscape Zone West(1) in which any of the dwarf shrubs listed in He1, either individually or in combination, have more than 25% cover.
(1) See Appendix 1