The Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area was setup to protect rare birds, but it does so much more than that. It safeguards all sorts of wonderful wildlife and gives the landscape we love a huge amount of protection
www.tbhpartnership.org.uk
I love heathland in July! I love the explosion of butterflies and dragonflies, I love listening to nightjars at dusk and enjoying tantalising glimpses of reptiles. And to top it off, a purple carpet of heather is rolling out across the landscape.
Many of you will know your local heaths, places like Chobham Common and Horsell Common. Perhaps they’ve helped you through this difficult time? But did you know these heaths, and others across Surrey, Hampshire & Berkshire, have a huge amount of legal protection, protecting them for wildlife and guarding them against development?
You might not think of busy south-east England as a hotspot for rare wildlife, but it really is! It may be criss-crossed by busy roads and have an ever increasing population, but by a fluke of nature it has the perfect geology and climate for a very special wildlife habitat: heathland. If you’ve taken your local heath for granted, think again, this heather-clad landscape is rarer than rainforest!
Heathland birds aren’t part of the common-or-garden flock. And because a heath, by its very nature, is covered in low-growing shrubs, that’s where special birds like nightjars, woodlarks and Dartford warblers nest. On or near the ground, in amongst the heather and gorse!
Much of the magic happens at twilight. You could walk on the heaths everyday of your life and not see my favourite bird, the nightjar. But visit on a summer evening at dusk, and you’ll hear the strange, mechanical churring of the males, and maybe even catch a mesmerising glimpse of a bird in flight. Astoundingly, they come all the way from Africa to nest here on our heaths.
You might think that nesting on the ground in a heavily populated area would lead to a rather precarious existence, but these birds have been living and breeding alongside us for centuries. Only in recent years, with development on the up and a growing population with more leisure time, has their vulnerability become an issue.
Thousands of years ago heathland covered vast areas of southern England, but in the last century it’s shrunk dramatically. Thankfully, in 2005 the heaths in this area of Surrey, Hampshire & Berkshire became the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area, to protect the birds and their heathland home for years to come.
A heathland summer brings more than just nightjars
Unfortunately, all the legal protection in the world won’t stop accidents or acts of deliberate vandalism and my enjoyment of summer is often tempered by the threat of wildfires. In hot, dry weather I worry about seeing heathland fires in the headlines, like the terrible incident at Chobham Common last year. Local planning departments can protect the heaths with a robust planning strategy, land managers can work hard keeping habitats in great condition and our wardens can ask everyone to give nature space. But it only takes one carelessly discarded cigarette, or one thoughtless BBQ, for all that work to go up in smoke. Wildlife will suffer, people will be put in danger and homes in jeopardy. It’s with good reason that lighting fires is illegal, except in designated areas!
Everyone can help
It’s easy to help and simple things can make a huge difference. When you’re out on the heaths, please keep to main paths and keep your dog on the path and out of vegetation.
Help prevent fires by following the code: No fires or BBQs, ensure cigarettes are out and take all litter home. And if you see a fire, however small, report it via 999 immediately. Never assume someone else has reported it. Your swift action could make all the difference…to people, wildlife and our local environment.
Enjoy the heaths, keep safe and please spread the word.
By Sarah Bunce
Thames Basin Heaths Partnership