Bramley Bank Heathland Restoration Project

This project aims to restore and increase the heathland area through scrapes and scrub clearance on the eastern boundary where the surrounding woodland is encroaching on this valuable habitat. The proposal is to scrape off the top layer of vegetation and top soil exposing the underlying gravels. It will then be reseeded with heathland seed gathered from existing plants (ling/common heather, dwarf and European gorse) on site and left to re-establish. Birch and oak will naturally reseed into these areas and these will be managed to affect the correct amount of tree cover within the area. The soil will be layered so as to achieve low nutrient conditions with high gravel content to produce an ideal growing medium for heathland vegetation.
Some woodland management works of the surrounding trees are also proposed. These will involve crown thinning of the larger trees and management of woodland glades to promote a habitat matrix.