Habitat restoration at Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve

Significant habitat restoration work will be taking place at Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve between 2024 and 2034. This is taking place as Natural England requires the restoration and management of important and threatened habitats in the designated Site of Special Scientific Interest. 

Some of the work will look severe as it involves felling trees and removing large areas of gorse in certain areas, but it is necessary to improve biodiversity and safeguard rare and threatened wildlife. The work will take place at the quarry, Warren Glen, the Firehills and North's Seat.

The quarry

The quarry is an area that needs help and management to maintain its unique geological and ecological features. Areas of gorse will be cut back here, and brambles, gorse, trees, and tree saplings will be removed from the sandstone cliffs. Some trees and gorse will also be cut down in the open area of the quarry. 

This work will help to retain the important habitats and allow visitors to enjoy this unique area of the nature reserve.

Bat surveys have been undertaken to ensure bats and their habitats are properly protected. 

Why is this work being done?

The quarry and the quarry faces are habitats of biological and geological importance and need to be maintained. In recent years, the principal habitat within the quarry of acid grassland with scattered scrub and some trees has become overgrown. Therefore, removal will be taking place to some of the vegetation from the quarry and the sandstone rock faces to help maintain them.

The work aims to remove trees such as birch, sycamore, and willow, which all produce significant amounts seeds which germinate and grow easily. Although some trees are being removed, oak trees and some birch will be left, unless they are posing a danger to the rock face. 

As gorse is a significant threat to this rare grassland habitat, areas of gorse will also be removed to help with the restoration.

When is this happening?

Work will start in the autumn/winter of 2024 and continue during the autumn/winter months over the next three years. The exact timing and duration of works will be dependent on the weather.

Heathland restoration

Heathland is a habitat in significant decline in the UK and Europe, and it is one of the most important habitats in Hastings Country Park Nature Reserve. It is vital we do what we can to save this habitat and the unique species that depend on it.

There are three locations that will undergo heathland habitat restoration at the reserve:

• Warren Glen - Some sycamore and sweet chestnut trees will be removed.
• North's Seat - Birch, sycamore, scrub, and sweet chestnut trees will be removed.
• Firehills - Gorse will continue to be cut and the area grazed with cattle.

Warren Glen

Trees such as sweet chestnut, sycamore and birch have been growing, setting seed, and spreading unmanaged in this area. The woodland is expanding, and the undergrowth is getting larger. As the woodland expands, it prevents more sensitive heath and grassland habitats from thriving. 

Therefore, selected trees will be removed to restore the heather and grassland habitats in this area, this also allows native trees such as oak to grow without competition. Warren Glen will continue to be managed by livestock.

North's Seat

Much of the important grass and heathland habitat at North's Seat is overgrown with trees and gorse. The gorse in this area is also a significant fire hazard. The Countryside Stewardship agreement requires the removal of trees such as the sycamore, and the reduction of dense areas of gorse to allow the heather and grassland habitats to flourish.  

When is this happening?

Work will start in the autumn/winter of 2024 and continue during the autumn/winter months over the next three years. The exact timing and duration of works will be dependent on the weather.

The Firehills

The Firehills is the most significant area of clifftop lowland heath habitat at the nature reserve and is one of the rarest habitats in the UK. The council's Countryside Stewardship agreement requires the Firehills to be grazed with a small number of cattle in the autumn/winter/spring.

There is no sustainable alternative to grazing with cattle to restore the threatened heathland habitats of the Firehills. If the Firehills are not grazed, this rare and threatened habitat will be lost forever.