Maintain upland heath/moor

Overall effectiveness category Unknown effectiveness (limited evidence)
Number of studies: 1
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How is the evidence assessed?

Effectiveness

30%
Certainty

15%
Harms

0%

Calculating overall effectiveness category

Background information and definitions

Unpland heath and moorland is maintained through unenclosed upland grazing. This intervention includes grazing on acid grassland, dry and wet upland heath.

Study locations

Key messages

A literature review from the UK found that agri-environment guidelines on moorland grazing were leading to increased bird populations in one region. There were localised problems with overgrazing, burning and scrub encroachment.

About key messages

Key messages provide a descriptive index to studies we have found that test this intervention.

Studies are not directly comparable or of equal value. When making decisions based on this evidence, you should consider factors such as study size, study design, reported metrics and relevance of the study to your situation, rather than simply counting the number of studies that support a particular interpretation.

Supporting evidence from individual studies

A 2009 literature review of agri-environment schemes in England (Natural England 2009) found studies that concluded that Environmentally Sensitive Area management prescriptions were having positive effects on moorland bird populations in Dartmoor Environmentally Sensitive Areas, UK. However, a study warned that localised problems such as overgrazing, burning or scrub encroachment were negatively affecting species such as tree pipit Anthus trivialis, whinchat Saxicola rubetra and ring ouzel Turdus torquatus. This review also examines several other interventions, discussed in the relevant sections.
Study and other actions tested
Referenced paper
Natural England (2009) Agri-environment schemes in England 2009: A review of results and effectiveness . Natural England report, no. NE194.

Please cite as:

Williams, D.R., Child, M.F., Dicks, L.V., Ockendon, N., Pople, R.G., Showler, D.A., Walsh, J.C., zu Ermgassen, E.K.H.J. & Sutherland, W.J. (2020) Bird Conservation. Pages 137-281 in: W.J. Sutherland, L.V. Dicks, S.O. Petrovan & R.K. Smith (eds) What Works in Conservation 2020. Open Book Publishers, Cambridge, UK.

Where has this evidence come from?

List of journals searched by synopsis

All the journals searched for all synopses

This Action forms part of the Action Synopsis:

Bird Conservation

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