Heather moorland the size of Birmingham is lost each year 

A new study has revealed that heather moorland the same size as the city of Birmingham is being lost annually in the UK. The Heather Trust’s Heather Futures research has quantified for the first time the extent of the UK’s heather moorland habitat and its historical and potential losses, with the aim of providing robust evidence to inform policy-makers considering future land management regimes. 

Katrina Candy, director of The Heather Trust, said: “Despite general acknowledgment that these vital landscapes are being lost or degraded, there has been limited data on changes to the extent and quality of moorland habitats across the country. Therefore, where moorland is under threat, there was a limited evidence base for decision-makers to consider when assessing the cumulative impacts of moorland habitat loss.” 

Heather Futures has identified the best available datasets on current and historical moorland extent across the UK to produce regional and national estimates of moorland range and historical moorland loss. 

“Heather Futures ensures that a robust evidence base on moorland conservation is available for policy-makers and statutory environment agencies to guide informed legislation and support mechanisms well into the future,” Ms Candy added.