New funding for heathland project

The Ecology Group and partners have secured the long-term sustainable management of Hazeley Heath in north-east Hampshire. With Natural England, Hart District Council, local parish councils and residents, the County Council has attracted £43,450 from the SITA Trust  'Enriching Nature Fund' to support the restoration of this nationally important heathland.

Hazeley Heath is a 180 hectare Site of Special Scientific Interest and a registered common. It is within the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area, which is one of the best examples of heathland in the world. It is home to a great variety of heathland plant communities, is a haven for bugs, and provides an important habitat for rare birds such as the Dartford warbler.

Grazing is one of the management solutions identified for the project. Grazing animals help to control the growth of scrub that would otherwise swamp the open heathland. They also graze on grasses, heather and gorse, helping to make attractive conditions for ground nesting birds, butterflies and plant life.

Hazeley Heath is supported through Natural England’s Higher Level Environmental Stewardship Scheme.

More information on the Hampshire Heathland Project