Press Release

THE CROWN ESTATE EXTEND IMPORTANT LOWLAND HEATH IN SOMERSET

7 June 2005

The Crown Estate and DEFRA have amalgamated two areas of lowland heath into one at our Dunster estate, on Exmoor. The stand of commercial timber that originally separated the two heaths was cleared last year, increasing the area by around 8 hectares (20 acres) to give a total area of about 35 hectares (86 acres).

Carried out under DEFRA’s countryside stewardship, this enlarges an environment of conservational importance. Heath plants have been re-populating the open land since spring, creating a ready-made habitat for nightjars, Dartford warblers and the rare Heath Fritillary butterfly.

The Crown Estate head forester at our Dunster estate, Alvin Houchen, said: “We have been looking at ways of expanding the use of forest we own for some time, including more public access, better conservation measures and landscaping.

“The area we have cleared has joined together two existing areas of lowland heath together.”

DEFRA project officer Mike Pearce said: “Nothing else is able to grow where you have large conifers because they block out the light.

“This also destroys the habitat for all sorts of indigenous species so removing the trees will benefit many different types of wildlife in the area.”

The Heath Fritillary, once widespread throughout Britain, is now one of the country’s rarest butterflies. A colony was recently discovered on Dunster Heath. There were fears that they may not settle, but removing the conifer plantation has let in more light, creating a much more conducive environment for breeding.