Lee and Burning The heather

Now you might be forgiven for thinking that Lee is a bit of a firebug.. but he's not.. burning the Heather is an important job. In Scotland, heather burning is referred to as Muirburn and in the south-west of England it is called Swaling but it means the same.

Throughout Scotland and in the uplands of England and Wales the burning season begins October 1st, so at the moment the heather burning season is underway and continues to 15th April, with some extensions beyond this date possible in Scotland. Burning at the beginng of October can interfere with other activities, such as grouse shooting and stalking, and therefore it is not always possible to burn heather that early in the season, but it can offer good conditions that allow for effective, controlled burning to be carried out. In spring, burning can be more difficult to control, especially if conditions become very dry, and there is a risk of interference with the nesting of some bird species. Getting the right time and weather is a must.

The burning of heather is an important management and conservation tool, it improves the condition of moorland. Without burning, heather can become rank and has little interest to moorland birds or grazing livestock. In many areas, the management of moorland for grouse provides an example of how burning improves the productivity of moorland areas for sporting, conservation and farming interests.


On a lighter note, Tom's misses Jane is first in the queue when it comes to having your very own Lady Chatterley's Lover. Jane said he dose not need those flames behind him to look hot.... ha! what Lee should be worried about is that Tom agreed.. ha!.

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Feel free to had to, or correct me on the above burning process Lee