GRAZING OF LOWLAND HEATH IN ENGLAND - MANAGEMENT METHODS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON HEATHLAND VEGETATION

The disappearance of grazing from much of British lowland heathland ov er the last century is thought to be a major contributory factor in th e loss of heath vegetation by allowing succession towards woodland. Th e reintroduction of grazing is hindered by the small amount of availab le information on grazing management methods or on the responses of lo wland heath vegetation to grazing. We review a range of grazing manage ment methods (different grazing animals, stocking rates and combinatio n with burning or cutting) and their effects on vegetation in a number of different lowland heath types (dry, humid and wet heath, and mire) distributed across southern England. The introduction of grazing or h igher stocking rates generally increased plant species richness, and t he cover of grasses, forbs, bryophytes and lichens and bare ground whi le reducing litter depth and the cover of dwarf shrubs and scrub speci es. However, precise effects on species composition varied widely betw een sites and grazing managements. The desirability of each of these e ffects is discussed in relation to the need to specify management obje ctives. Copyright (C) 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Limited