Heathland restoration in Sutton Park National Nature Reserve, with reference to changes in grazing practice and scrub clearance

摘要

Sutton Park is a National Nature Reserve in Birmingham which contains large and ecologically rich areas of ancient woodland, heath and wetlands. Grazing by domestic herbivores has been a key factor in maintaining the characteristic mosaic of unimproved lowland habitats and the traditional medieval layout of Sutton Park. The Cattle Registers demonstrate a significant overall decline since 1890 in the seasonal grazing by cattle and a dramatic decline in the numbers of horses, asses and donkeys culminated in the cessation of horse grazing in 1960. The reduction in grazing pressure has been accompanied by a substantial increase in the area of woodland, scrub and gorse. A heathland restoration programme initiated in 1989 has resulted in the clearance of 110 ha of scrub and invasive woodland from the key heathlands and mires. The future grazing strategy for Sutton Park needs to resolve two key issues: the overall numbers of grazing animals and the role of horses and ponies to supplement the existing cattle grazing.