To keep the heather in good health, with a diverse patchwork of ages from young to old, we either burn it in controlled areas called Muirburn or cut it with a tractor and flail.
The landscape & wildlife
The ground on Eastside is predominantly made up of heather hills and moorland. Open heather moorland with its vegetation of heather, grasses, berries, and mosses is a globally rare habitat. With three quarters of the world's moorlands found in the UK (and most of that in Scotland) we have a duty to look after it.
We share the hills and moor with an abundance of wildlife. At different times of year you may see Red and Black Grouse, Curlew, Lapwing, Snipe, Golden Plover, Merlin, Kestrel, Peregrine & Mountain Hare. All these moorland natives thrive within a thoughtful and considered moorland management plan.
Management Aims
Heather is a good food supply both for our sheep and the wildlife we manage alongside them. While the young shoots provide valuable nutrition (with natural anthelmintic properties), the older shrubby plants provide good cover and shelter from the weather as well as ideal nesting sites for ground-nesting birds.
To ensure a plentiful supply of young shoots, between the 15th September and the 31st March we aim to burn or cut 10% of the heather cover each year using a cool, controlled burn or flail. For such muirburn, areas are planned, fire breaks cut, and the weather closely monitored to achieve what we want - a fast, cool burn to remove the heather canopy without scorching the understory.
The flail is another useful tool for heather management for areas where muirburn may be inappropriate. When using the tractor, we consider ways to mitigate compaction or damage to the bog surface with machinery.
Heather Lifecycle stages
The lifecycle of heather (Calluna vulgaris), can be described in terms of four main stages. These are: Pioneer, Building, Mature, and Degenerate.
Pioneer Phase
The pioneer phase lasts 5 - 6 years, from seedling development and establishment until the plant has developed into a fully formed bush. In the pioneer phase, heather cover is small and other species of vascular plants reach their greatest abundance.
Building Phase
The building phase lasts until the plant is about 15 years old, when the bush-like form is well-established. In the building phase, heather starts to exclude other plant species.
Mature Phase
The mature phase continues until the plant is about 25 years old. Growth gradually becomes less vigorous and the centre of the bush begins to open. In the mature phase, bryophytes colonise the soil surface because of increased humidity beneath the closed canopy.
Degenerate Phase
The degenerate phase, leading to death, is entered into after 30 years. The active growth of the leading shoots declines and the plant canopy continues to open and exposes more ground.
A patchwork
When walking the moor and surrounding hills look out for the patchwork of old, newly burnt and regenerating heather. A mosaic designed to feed, shelter and support all of the uplands inhabitants by supporting and maintaining the four life stages of the heather plant.
The Misconceptions
There are some misconceptions about muirburn as a management tool; that it burns the peat, and damages the environment. Well managed heather burning following the muirburn code should do neither of those things.