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Restoration of Heather Moorland and Lowland Heathland, with Special Reference to Pipelines

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2009

P. D. Putwain ,
D. A. Gillham  and
R. J. Holliday
P. D. Putwain
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, England, UK.
R. J. Holliday
Affiliation:
Department of Botany, University of Liverpool, P.O. Box 147, Liverpool, England, UK.
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Extract

Reafforestation, reclamation to agriculture, urbanization, and a variety of industrial activities—such as mineral extraction and the laying of gas and oil pipelines—cause loss or severe degradation of heather moorland and lowland heathland in Britain. In recent years the expansion of the gas and oil industries has involved installation of many major pipelines, some of which traverse areas of heather moorland. Heathland vegetation is very sensitive to disturbance, and natural regeneration of its plant communities is relatively slow. Three detailed examples are given of severe disturbance caused by the laying of pipelines, where the original heathland vegetation has not recovered. There have been irreversible changes in the vegetation, to grassland with Juncus spp., and these have been associated with considerable changes in soil properties across the pipeline easement.

Improved techniques have been developed for reinstatement of heather moorland and lowland heathland after pipeline installation. The techniques are based on fundamental ecological principles and have been tested during the installation of a pipeline for Scottish Gas (across the Pentland Hills near Edinburgh) and during the installation of an oil pipeline in Dorset. In both cases recovery of the heathland vegetation was satisfactory. Based on these experiences, recommendations are given for the alleviation of problems associated with the laying of pipelines through heather moorland and lowland heathland.

Type
Main Papers
Information
Environmental Conservation , Volume 9 , Issue 3 , Autumn 1982 , pp. 225 - 235
Copyright
Copyright © Foundation for Environmental Conservation 1982

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