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Abstract

The UK Government has ambitious targets for habitat creation and restoration. There is growing emphasis on habitat and ecosystem restoration within the UK financed via Environmental Land Management Schemes, Biodiversity Net Gain and other mechanisms. In the West Midlands there is a particular focus on mosaics of acid grassland and heathland due to historic losses in the extent of this habitat. This project has two strands: methods of habitat restoration, and monitoring the recolonisation of newly established heathland by invertebrates.

Description

Work is currently being conducted at two sites: Prees Heath Common SSSI and within the National Trust's estate at Dudmaston.

At Prees Heath, experimental turf stripping has been carried out in a replicated experiment to assess the feasibility of establishing heather seedling in an area of semi-natural acid grassland. The longterm aim is create a new area of heath to reconnect existing patches which are home to the West Midlands only population of the Silver-Studded Blue butterfly. 

The work at Dudmaston focuses on the monitoring of heathland establishment and colonisation by invertebrates as part of the National Trust's Sandscapes Project. The project involves farmscale nature recovery through creation of extensive areas of acid grassland, heathland and scrub. 

More detail on the Sandscapes Project can be found here: