Heather Loss, Sheep Grazing & Grouse: What 70 Years on Langholm Moor Tells Us
- Rob Beeson
- May 7
- 1 min read
Over the past century, parts of the British uplands have seen a steep decline in heather moorland - a globally rare habitat important for wildlife, rural heritage, and field sports.
A long-term study on Langholm Moor in southern Scotland found that from 1948 to 2009, heavy sheep grazing saw heather-dominated vegetation fall from 53% to just 14%. When sheep numbers were reduced from 2011, some recovery followed, with heather cover rising to 18% by 2015.
Red grouse, a native moorland bird and key part of rural sporting life, rely on heather. The study found grouse numbers only dropped sharply when heather fell below 27% cover before breeding, or 17% after breeding.
From 1951 to 1992, grouse shooting remained viable while 37–65% of land was dominated by heather. But rising raptor numbers, and continued heather loss, led to shooting stopping altogether by 1996. Grouse numbers later rose and fell with intermittent gamekeeping, but never recovered enough to bring back traditional driven shooting.
The research shows that heather loss, high grazing pressure, and unchecked predation all combine to weaken the moor’s ability to support grouse - and with that, the sporting income and land management tied to them.
Today, Langholm Moor is surrounded by trees and isolated from other grouse moors, making recovery harder.
Takeaway: Managing heather, grazing, and predators together is essential if grouse, traditional shooting, and rural livelihoods are to be sustained on Britain’s moorlands.
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