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The regeneration of bryophytes after the burning of dry heath (H12a) and wet heath (M16d) moorland on the North York Moors (NECR011)

The North York Moors are atypical uplands because of their low altitude and low rainfall. Many are intensively managed as grouse moors.

This report was commissioned to find out:

  • Whether under, Common Standards Monitoring, the North York Moors Sites of Special Scientific Interest could achieve ‘favourable condition’.
  • What management, if any, would enable them to reach this condition.

The report concentrates on two main areas:

  • The lack of bryoflora diversity and how bryoflora diversity could be enhanced using Burning Management Plans.
  • The lack of bryoflora cover to protect the peat layer on further re-burning and whether ‘cool burns’ were possible where such a protective layer did not exist.

The findings will be used by the local Natural England team to:

  • Draw up prescriptions for Higher Level Stewardship Burning Management Plans.
  • To help justify the need for ‘no – burn’ areas on intensively managed grouse moors.
  • To identify burning rotations that will maximise bryoflora diversity on moors not managed for grouse.

Downloads available for this record

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NECR011 edition 1, PDF, 1.1 MB 2011/10/04