Identification & Mapping
The definition of upland for the Durham BAP is all land within the North Pennines Natural Area.
Heath vegetation with at least 25% cover of dwarf shrubs (heathers, bilberry, crowberry and western gorse).
Heath characterised by frequent cross-leaved heath and wetland species such as bog-mosses (Sphagnum) and/or purple moor-grass, heath rush and deergrass should be recorded as upland wet heath / blanket bog.
Heathland mosaics with more than 75% acid grassland or other habitats do not meet the definition and should be mapped as alternate habitats (e.g. acid grassland) or divided into appropriate parcels for mapping separately.
Condition Assessment
- Cover of dwarf shrubs must be at least 75%, with at least two dwarf shrub species frequent.
- At least 10% of the area of dwarf-shrub heath remains unburnt throughout the burning rotation.
- There must be a range of age classes of heather present, with cover of young (pioneer stage) heather between 25% and 50% and cover of old (mature/degenerate stages) between 10% and 30%.
- No more than 33% of heather shoots grazed (when assessed between February and April), or flowering heather plants are at least frequent in autumn.
Adapted from Defra’s M04 upland heath definition.*
*DEFRA (2005) Higher Level Stewardship: Farm Environment Plan – Guidance handbook. www.defra.gov.uk
