Final phase of work for West Sussex RSPB site

This autumn and winter, RSPB Pulborough Brooks will be starting the final phase of its heathland restoration project.
The RSPB’s plans for the area have always been to recreate the heathland habitat, attracting specialist birds, insects and plants.

Heathland is one of the world’s rarest habitats and much of it has been destroyed; West Sussex alone has lost 90 per cent of its heathland since the 1800s.

Over the next few months, further areas of conifer plantation will be felled and thinned to allow the heathers and grasses to regenerate and create the conditions that birds like woodlark and nightjar enjoy.

Senior warden Peter Hughes said: “Whilst forestry operations are underway there will be some disturbance and temporary closures to paths, but the results from previous year’s work indicate that the heather regenerates and wildlife moves in quickly to the newly cleared areas.”

The work that has been done over the past few years has already resulted in a greater variety of wildlife in the area and the heath has become a much more important feature of the reserve for visitors.

This year, visitors have enjoyed performing nightjars, dragonflies and chirping field crickets.

Continued: http://www.westsussextoday.co.uk/news/local/final-phase-of-work-for-west-sussex-rspb-site-1-4373725