Management of Heaths and Inland Dunes in Denmark – a Manual of Methods December 2016 Title Management of Heaths and Inland Dunes in Denmark – a Manual of Methods Text AmphiConsult, Hans Jørgen Degn (Degn's NaturConsult) With valuable contributions from LIFE-Hede project Expert Advisory Board: Ulrik Søchting, Rita Merete Buttenschøn, Søren Espersen, Gudrun Gormsen Danish Nature Agency: Hans Jensen, Ole Knudsen, Christian Hollesen and Claus Simonsen Editors Danish Nature Agency: Jesper Stenild, Søren Rasmussen, Jan Højland Photos Upper, page 64 Photo: Karel Tomeï (flyingcamera.nl) Aerial photo page 5: Freelance Luftfoto Illustration page 10: Stig Bachmann Nielsen/Naturplan All other photos: Nature Agency Graphic design Glindvad Grafisk Design Print Rosendahls Print run 200 ISBN 978-87-7175-613-5 This report is part of complete reporting for the LIFE+ project, RAHID. The objective of the project is to restore and retain some of Denmark's biggest heathland areas and inland dunes. The project was run between 2010 and 2016 by the Nature Agency. The Nature Agency. December 2016. 5 0 7 41 45 P 0 ri ter ntedmat Printed on FSC certified paper Financing Produced by the Nature Agency with support from the EU's financial instrument: LIFE+ Indemnity from liability This report is part of the LIFE09 NAT/DK/000370 project (RAHID), financially supported by the EU Commission. In accordance with Article II.7.2 of the General Provisions, the opinions and knowledge expressed in the report cannot under any circumstances be regarded as the official opinion of the EU Commission and the Commission cannot be held liable for use of the information contained in the report. Management of Heaths and Inland Dunes in Denmark – a Manual of Methods Table of contents 1 Foreword . 5 2 Definition of heathland ............................................................................9 3 The natural and cultural history of heathland.....................................................10 4 Heathland biodiversity ..........................................................................12 5 Threats against heathland........................................................................16 6 Management methods and experience of their use ..............................................18 7 List of management methods ....................................................................72 8 Literature ........................................................................................76 Arnica montana. 1 Foreword 1.1 The LIFE-Hede project and background to such as burning, grazing, clearance and mowing, From Skovbjerg Bakkeø this publication but the main focus was also the development of (West Jutland). Heathland as a natural habitat is regarded as being new methods and a combination of management threatened and vulnerable – not just in Denmark, methods. The results form the basis of this report, Opposite page: but also at the European level. To restore natural which presents the latest experience gained with Burning of heather. habitats in some of Denmark's biggest heathland heathland management in Denmark, supplemented areas, the Nature Agency implemented the LIFE by perspectives from abroad. RAHID project: “Restoration of Atlantic Heaths and Inland Dunes in Denmark” (LIFE09 NAT/DK/000370) This publication is part of the LIFE-Hede project, between 2010 and 2016, supported by EU-LIFE. and is a manual of methods that describes prac- The project is referred to below simply as “LIFE- tical methods used within the project to counter Hede”. the threats to heathland. The project worked with stripping, burning, harvesting, grazing, water and “A rapid and extensive campaign of major signifi- cultivation on heathland. Considerations regarding cance to halt the decline of heathland and restore choice of method, practical execution, legislation, it to good preservation status. This will be achieved effect and financial key figures are described for by restoring old heath biotopes and creating new, each method. potential biotopes close to the existing ones. The project was implemented at 6 locations of national The target audience for the publication is people importance, involving a total area of 6,566 ha.” engaged professionally with caring for heaths, (The Nature Agency, 2016a). namely public authorities such as local authorities, but also private consultants and contractors. Our A number of well-known methods were used for hope is to make it possible to use the methods used heath management in the LIFE-Hede project, and described in the LIFE-Hede project. Material Management of Heaths and Inland Dunes in Denmark – a Manual of Methods 5 on heathland management has previously been But what had the biggest practical effect was published, which is referred to in brief in the follow- without a doubt a major study of the black grouse ing chapters. (Joensen, 1967). The population at that time was over 1,000 birds in the spring. Once again, it was 1.2 A brief history of heathland management stated that the original perception of preservation in Denmark as being passive (“nothing should be done”) was Recognition of the fact that management was only rarely appropriate. Burning and other forms necessary. At the end of the 19th century, many of management were necessary. And the fact scientists were convinced that heathland vegeta- that it was necessary to start using such forms tion stemmed directly from that found in tundra of management was because heathland was no zones that had developed after the end of the last longer used by man. ice age over 10,000 years ago. In other words: heathland was pure and genuine nature. It was well This study was a major contributor to recognition into the 20th century before science recognised that heathland needed management to be pre- that heathland vegetation is not natural and eter- served. The major impact of the study was due nally unchangeable, but that it is due to the cultural to two things: the author had personal contact to effects of centuries or even millennia. This process just about every administrator, owner etc. of large included the significant step of Böcher's pioneering tracts of heathland in Jutland. Secondly, the vast work from 1941 (Böcher, 1941). majority of such owners, administrators etc. had a personal interest in the state of their heaths. And As in many other instances, a number of years that was the black grouse, a particularly sought-af- were to pass from the point when a few scientists ter hunting prey. Healthy heathland was one of the had described the link and until it became generally criteria for healthy grouse populations. accepted. 1.2.1 Heathland management in the 1960s The first person to write on caring for the natural and 70s habitat of heathland was Thamdrup (1958). The The removal of trees was a major theme, most of subject was the indigenous birdlife and the condi- which were mountain pine. When the visible part tion of the heaths. He referred to the same decline of an evergreen tree is removed, e.g. by felling or in the black grouse being seen in Holland as in burning, it ceases to be of concern. No new growth Denmark, and burning heathland had started in springs from the stumps or roots, and it therefore the same way as in Scotland for the sake of grouse dies. Deciduous trees are different, as they continue hunting. to shoot from the roots once they have been felled or burnt. But there are not as many problems with The same year, an experiment was started in the deciduous trees then as there are now. One of Ulborg national forest district, looking at various the current problems is the invasive black cherry ways of preserving heathland in the district, some (prunus serotina). A well-known botanist said, as of which were grouse reservations. The results were late as the 1970s, that the species did not propa- first published a number of years later (Johansen, gate in nature. Nowadays, seedlings are far from 1970). They contained a clear description stating a rarity. Other deciduous trees that can be a local that heaths were previously “as beautiful as they problem include birch, oak and European aspen were and apparently untouched, because they were (Holst-Jørgensen, 1992). not untouched.” They had actually been used for a wide range of purposes. Burning was initially one of the most commonly -used methods of heathland management, most Around 1960, local initiatives were taken elsewhere likely inspired by Scotland where it was a well- to improve the condition of heathland at Harrild established routine. Hede, Kompedal, Randbøl Hede and Tihøje. It was noted that heather was getting old and being re- Burning was also documented (Sørensen 2016) as placed by grasses. Initially, the preferred method being part of traditional heath cultivation in Den- was burning heather off. The results were so mark, as a method of generating fresh heather for convincing that they became one of the methods sheep grazing. of caring for heathland and helped set initiatives going in even more areas. 6 Management of Heaths and Inland Dunes in Denmark – a Manual of Methods Large areas were often burnt in one go, and to as a resource, and harrowing of heather-covered control the fires, broad firebreaks were ploughed areas was probably not part of their farming. around the area. These can still be seen many places. 1.2.2 Heathland management after around 1980 Removal of trees. With regard to evergreen trees, Harvesting heather is perhaps the most commonly- not much new has happened. Although we should used method for heathland management, and mention that some of the specialised machinery is an unbroken tradition from heather farmer for mowing heather and grass simultaneously harvesting using a heather scythe up to modern remove trees and bushes with a trunk diameter machinery. of less than 10 cm. With regard to deciduous trees and bushes, the army introduced the principle in Common heather was cut during both World Wars its land catalogue (FBE 2013) that deciduous trees for cattle feed, and after the dry summer of 1959, – including black cherry – should not be felled, but landowners in western Himmerland sold feed pulled up or dug out by the roots.