Importance of Controlled Burns

By Alison Elvey de Rios

Farmers in West Penwith welcomed last week’s workshop on heathland burning, organised by The HEATH Project (Heathland, Environment, Agriculture, Tourism and Heritage).

The workshop, held at Morvah Schoolhouse, focused on scrub clearance, fire-break cutting and controlled burning.

Speakers from the RSPB, Natural England, and Cornwall Fire Brigade outlined the benefits of heathland burning and how to make sure it is done safely. The group then visited Chypraze Farm to see fire-break and burning management examples first hand.

Managed controlled heathland burning is encourage by conservation bodies such as Natural England on certain landscapes, as it clears scrub and old heather, provides fresh forage for livestock and opens up the vegetation allowing new plants to colonise. Relative to other options, it is also cheap and quick, as well as effective on rough terrain, if done correctly.

Ray Lawman, Natural England’s senior reserves manager on The Lizard explained: “While managing land on The Lizard, the benefits of controlled and planned heathland burning are twofold. Burning helps to give a varied age structure to the heathland, which results in a greater variety of wildlife, plants and habitats. Some species thrive on a very old age structure, such as the Dartford Warbler bird, while other species, such as orchids enjoy the renewed soil after a burn.

“We also use burning as a management tool when reintroducing grazing to heathland. There would not be enough food for livestock without the first flush of new grasses which appear after a burn. Therefore the use of a burning plan, which entails burning a rotation of small blocks of heathland, creating fresh patches for grazing, is essential.”

Mr Lawman continued: “I thought the workshop was a good idea as it gave me a chance to meet West Penwith farmers and learn about the different issues they face. It was also excellent to have a fireman there who has been putting out heathland fires for over 20 years and could share his experiences.”

Clive Williams, from Cornwall Fire Brigade, said: “As a farmer and fireman based at St Just for over 20 years, I have probably attended many of the largest heathland fires in West Penwith during that time. It was really beneficial to myself and the farmers at the workshop that I could give examples of what I’d seen, and identify practical vital safety measures that farmers should consider if planning a burn.”

Rose Nankervis, from Wicca Farm near Zennor, said: “As farmers we want to do the best we can to keep our land productive as well as ensure that it is a haven for wildlife.

“This workshop has been really useful as it has shown us another way to maintain the land in a responsible way. I would like to see the public support us in what we are doing and also understand more of the benefits of this type of land management.”

The HEATH Project is working with heathland owners, managers and farmers in west Cornwall to help with the re-introduction of grazing, archaeological understanding and economic development of heathland. It aims to help landowners, managers and farmers restore neglected heathland in a sustainable way to achieve its full potential for wildlife.

The project is a partnership including local farmers, commoners, Natural England, Cornwall Wildlife Trust, the National Trust, Eden Project, Cornwall County Council and Penwith District Council. It is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the EU Interreg Fund.

(c) 2008 Western Morning News, The Plymouth (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.