Vegetation Management
- Throughout the project, with support from Natural England through Higher Level Stewardship, the Molland Estate has continued with a programme of management work.
- This has supplemented the grazing management provided by the cattle, sheep, ponies and Red deer.
- A swaling (burning) programme has been continued.
- Approval was granted by Natural England to burn some larger fires to achieve management of more heather during the project than would otherwise have been possible.
- As is often the case, it was not possible to burn every year and this resulted in a smaller burnt area than planned.
- Burning operations were supported by the Exmoor NPA rangers, but in later years this was restricted to the loan of a water bowser only.
- Local experience of swaling has been regained. This has allowed the estate to carry out swaling operations without relying on external support.
- European Gorse has been cut on many parts of the moor.
- Gorse had invaded many parts of the Moor.
- Some regrowth was controlled by treating the stumps with glyphosate.
- The cut areas will be monitored to establish if cattle will control any regrowth by browsing on young shoots during the winter.
- Bracken Control has taken place, using a range of techniques, including a horse-drawn bruiser.
- Heather Beetle
- Much of the heather on the moor has been badly affected by heather beetle in the last 10 years.
- There is no direct management control for this beetle. The best option is to avoid large areas of old heather that could be killed in a single outbreak of heather beetle.
Further Information
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