Heathland Restoration
Specialist restoration and management of lowland heathland, one of the UK's rarest habitats.
Dorset's lowland heaths are internationally important and under constant pressure from scrub encroachment, invasive species and recreational use. Heartwood works with conservation organisations, estates and site managers to restore and maintain heathland in favourable condition.
Based on the edge of the Purbeck heaths, we bring local knowledge, low-ground-pressure machinery and experienced operators to sensitive sites, working within the constraints of SSSI consents, bird nesting seasons and reptile activity windows.
Restoration works
- ✓Birch, pine and scrub clearance with on-site processing
- ✓Rhododendron and laurel eradication, stump treatment
- ✓Bracken management programmes
- ✓Firebreak creation and maintenance
- ✓Fencing and grazing infrastructure for conservation grazing
- ✓Bare ground creation for sand lizards and ground-nesting invertebrates
Working on designated sites
Much of our heathland work takes place on SSSIs and within the Dorset Heathlands SPA. We plan works around assent conditions and seasonal constraints, keep accurate records for reporting to Natural England, and leave sites tidy, with arisings processed, extracted or habitat-piled as the management plan requires.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you work on SSSI land?
- Yes. We regularly work on designated sites under the landowner's SSSI assent or consent, and plan operations around its conditions and the ecological calendar.
- What happens to the cleared material?
- Depending on the management plan: chipped and extracted, processed as firewood, burned on site where permitted, or built into habitat piles. Nothing is left to smother the heath.
Ready to talk about your project?
Free site visits and quotes across Dorset, Hampshire and the South West. Commercial tenders and framework enquiries welcome.