River Camel - Heath

European dry heaths typically occur on freely-draining, acidic to circumneutral soils with generally low nutrient content. Ericaceous dwarf-shrubs dominate the vegetation. The most common is heather Calluna vulgaris, which often occurs in combination with gorse Ulex spp., bilberry Vaccinium spp. or bell heather Erica cinerea, though other dwarf-shrubs are important locally. Nearly all dry heath is semi-natural, being derived from woodland through a long history of grazing and burning. Most dry heaths are managed as extensive grazing for livestock or, in upland areas, as grouse moors.

European dry heaths are found in every EU Member State except for Greece, but are only extensive in the western oceanic fringes of Europe. A high proportion of the EU resource of European dry heaths occurs in the UK, although this proportion is not as high as that of 4010 Northern Atlantic wet heaths with Erica tetralix. Dry heaths in the UK exhibit exceptional diversity in comparison with examples found elsewhere in the EU.

The SAC series accommodates the wide geographical range and ecological variation of European dry heaths, and takes account of the UK’s special responsibilities for the habitat type – this is reflected in the very large number of proposed sites. The sites selected are for the most part those with the largest extent of dry heath and those where habitat structure and function are best-conserved. Sites have been selected to include all the main sub-types of the habitat (represented by the range of NVC types) and important lines of variation within the main sub-types, taking into account gradients developed in relation to climate, altitude, soil conditions and other factors. Both upland and lowland heaths are well-represented in the SAC series, and there is a high proportion of the rarer and more species-rich lowland types, which are particularly threatened by human activities.

The selected sites often hold examples of several different forms of dry heath, and also demonstrate a diverse range of associations with other habitat types, including wet heath, acidic and calcareous grassland, mire, scrub and woodland. Many sites support populations of rare fauna and flora.

River Camel SAC Info.