Controlled Heather Burning benefits Upland Management

Well managed heather is a great asset to the farm. It is an important wildlife habitat and is a valuable grazing resource. The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) encourages positive management of heather moorland through agri-environment schemes.

Controlled burning is one of the oldest land-management tools available for the management of heather moorland. It encourages the plants to produce nutritious new shoots to improve grazing for sheep and cattle. If left unmanaged, heather eventually grows long and lank, reducing its nutritional value and over time it degenerates and becomes leggy.

Burning on a small scale will produce a 'patchwork' of differently aged heather stands that provide ground nesting birds with shelter and cover for nesting. The resulting vegetative mosaics contribute to the rich biodiversity of these habitats. Heather moorland is an important habitat for the red grouse, curlew, hen harrier and Irish hare.

Heather can only be burnt during the period 1 September to 14 April.  Burning outside this period will result in damage to ground nesting birds and other wildlife.

Controlled burning should be conducted with sufficient number of people to ensure the fire is contained and directed at all times.  Burn when the heather cover is dry, the peat is wet and wind light but constant. This ensures that the fire moves steadily over the peat, burning the plant but leaving the peat bed relatively cool. The heather roots are left undamaged and the whole process ‘shocks’ the heather seed lying in the ground into germinating quickly.

It is not recommended to burn areas of blanket bog and if you have land within a designated site such as an Area of Scientific Interest (ASSI) prior written consent is required from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) before burning. If you manage your land under agri-environment agreement, a heather regeneration plan must be agreed with Countryside Management Delivery Branch staff.

It is advisable to let the local Fire Service know the time and location of  planned heather burning to avoid unnecessary callouts.

For advice on heather moorland management please contact Countryside Management Delivery Branch staff at your local DARD office.