Fire-Work

This and similar patches, all more or less rectangular, are positioned  irregularly across the open section of Blacka. They are the conservation industry's equivalent of one of the uglier features of a grouse moor. Heather is managed on grouse moors by fire; i.e. burning patches of the older growth  to stimulate the production of young shoots which are part of the diet of the game birds. In winter plumes of smoke arise  from these hills. As far as landscape goes that always looks unnatural and sometimes grotesque. We might hope for something better from conservation organisations but never underestimate their capacity to justify the unattractiveness of over-management, even trying to persuade us how nice it looks. With them fire is not the means but the excuse: the actual work is done using tractor and cutting machinery. Hence the way the heather suddenly stops and is replaced with grass etc. They keep the senescent leggy heather but say they need the cut rectangles as firebreaks - just as unnatural and almost as ugly as what happens where grouse get shot.

The area in the picture stands out from the rest of the hill and can be seen as far off as Ringinglow and places beyond where a viewpoint can be reached.

But they still justify with claims that young heather returns to the cut places. In one or two spots within the grassy area there is heather - and it's infested with the heather beetle.

I wonder how they persuade themselves this is sustainable.