The heather, which bursts into bloom, in August and transforms the hills with a blanket of purple is a valuable winter food for livestock. As it grows older the heather becomes tough and less appetising for animals to eat, so regular burning (swaling) is carried out to destroy the woody parts of the plant ahd encourage the production of juicy young shoots.
Dunkery Beacon is a natural habitat of lush heather beds that can be appreciated all through the year. A sweeping vista of shimmering purple heather is one of Exmoor's most beautiful sights. Rare birds, attractive insects and unusual animals live in this extraordinary ecosystem.
Heather on Dunkery Beacon
Heather flowers in late Summer and into Autumn, but heathlands are rich in wildlife throughout the year.
As part of the management plan for the Dunkery and Horner Woods Nature Reserve a swaling (burning) programme has been devised based on a 15 year rotation. Small areas of 3-6 hectares are burned to ensure a diversity of age and structure of the heathland vegetation. Old heather is of particular value for breeding birds, invertebrates, mosses and lichens. An important part of the management is a long-term commitment to protect at least 30% of the heath against fire.
The size of Horner Wood offers a rare opportunity to manage through a policy of non-intervention. The future of this wood isl governed as far as possible by natural processes. A programme of monitoring and research into such aspects as grazing, natural regeneration, public access and education will ensure that any impact from practical management will be kept to a minimum.
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