Figure 2. Profile through a lowland heathland community
Cv — Calluna vulgaris and seedlings (Ling)
Ec — Erica cinerea (Bell Heather)
Ns — Nardus stricta (Mat Grass)
Cp — Carex piluliferer (Pill Sedge)
C — Cladonia spp. (Lichen)
P — Polytrichum spp. (Moss) After Gimingham
Bp — Betula pendula seedling (Silver Birch)
heather is mixed with old woody gorse there is also the possibility that the high
temperatures generated will kill the heather making vegetative regrowth im-
possible and paving the way for birch scrub before new heather seedlings get
established. As far as we know the Heath is unique in Essex in having all three
of the common heather and Erica species.
Gorse
Gorse dominates large areas of the Heath and plays an important
ecological role in providing a food source for insects and a habitat for immense
numbers of small spiders which we have yet to identify. It also affords solid
prickly evergreen cover for mammals and also for nesting and roosting birds. In
April the acres of yellow gorse in full flower are a delight to the eye and the
massed ranks of prickly spines also protect several areas of botanical interest
from trampling and casual picking. All in all a useful and beautiful plant. The
only cloud on the gorsey horizon is that the species is Ulex europaeus and quite
capable of attaining a height of 2.5m and suppressing most of its neighbours.
Hand-cutting and accidental fires over the next few years will result in
mixed-age gorse blocks of greater value to wildlife.
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