Study shows traditional ‘cut and burn’ benefits heathland birds

A new study published in the Journal of Applied Ecology has shown a positive indication that cutting and burning patches in heathlands can help restore a declining ecosystem and conserve globally significant species while helping to rejuvenate traditional cultural practices.

The study, in central Italy, assessed short-term (5 years) responses of open habitat birds of conservation concern to mosaics of cutting and prescribed burning in a Mediterranean heathland Natura 2000 Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA).

This study is particularly interesting as the findings suggest that ‘treating vegetation in Mediterranean heathlands by cutting and burning can enhance conservation of declining open habitat bird species, but a mosaic approach is necessary to support diverse species within landscapes that are subject to treatment.’ Which suggests that the heather management practices which have been carried out by keepers and land managers (in the UK) for decades, is indeed beneficial to biodiversity.

The full report Restoring Mediterranean heathlands for declining birds: Initial responses to mosaic cutting and prescribed burning in the Natura 2000 LIFE program can be read in the Journal of Applied Ecology here: 

And The Applied Ecologist blog here: Bringing back birds to Mediterranean heathlands one cut and one burn at a time – The Applied Ecologist