Heathland Restoration and Management - Wolf’s Caves
Project Area
Ecology & Habitats
Specialisms
Environmental Gain, Habitat Restoration & Management
Year
2015 - 2018
The Planning Application to build a new home at Wolf’s Caves on Jersey’s north coast included an element to restore the coastal slopes in front of the property back into species rich heathland, thereby providing a demonstrable environmental gain, in compliance with the natural environment policies of the Island Plan.
This heathland restoration project began in 2015, with the scope to replace the existing dense bracken habitat on the northern coastal slopes with a species rich, high biodiversity heathland habitat. The initial phase involved a complete clearance of years of bracken growth, followed by a rigorous raking programme to expose the underlying heathland soils.
This re-created favourable conditions for the colonisation of more beneficial heathland plant species, such as heather, gorse and acidic grassland, which in turn provide a value habitat for a variety of animal species.
Several challenges were posed by this project including working on steep terrain, the removal of a deep bracken litter layer to expose the underlying soil and also the need for regular follow up work to continue the suppression of bracken plants. Due to the size of the restoration area, the initial heathland regeneration works were phased over a 3-year period, to ensure the visual impact of these ‘heavy’ initial works was restricted.
Outcome
Since 2015, the upper part of the coastal slope has been restored to continuous grassland with abundant emergent heather seedlings. Bracken coverage has been reduced by 90%. Our observations are that it takes approximately 18 months for heather seedlings to emerge and 3 years for significant heather coverage to develop.
To date the project has been a great success. Favourable heathland habitat has re-established within only 3 years and this will be carefully managed by the Nurture Ecology team to further improve habitat diversity and structure. The long-term plan is to install stock fencing around the new heathland and to introduce sheep grazing, to better manage the area in the future.
_____
Our client Martin Jensen, Wolves Caves, St.John said ‘As part of our Planning Application for this site, and in order to comply with Island Policies regarding ‘environmental gain’ when re-developing in the Coastal National Park, we decided to tackle the bracken on the slopes in front of our property on the north coast.
We started working here with Nurture Ecology in 2016, and within three years saw real success with the re-establishment of heather and significant loss of bracken on the upper slopes. Due to this success we have recently agreed to extend this management with Nurture Ecology down the lower slopes.
We have found the Nurture Ecology team to be very helpful and friendly with their advice, and their Habitats team are always punctual, hard-working and reliable… a German like me cant say this often on Jersey.’
Highlight Projects
-
![]()
Living Wall - Corbiere
In order to demonstrate environmental gain in the Coastal National Park, our client included a living wall as part of their Planning Application for an extension.
-
![]()
Nude Dunes - St Ouen's Bay
Protected wildlife translocation and sand dune habitat creation. This site located within the Coastal National Park was to be converted into a new beachside café.
-
![]()
Green Retaining Wall - St Brelade's Bay
An engineered vegetated retaining wall system, created to replace a bank and wall that were subsiding due to high-tide wave erosion.
-
![]()
Re-Development - Les Ruisseaux Estate
A private development with close proximity to a Nature Reserve, whereby full re-development of the house, gardens and pond were approved.
-
![]()
Conway Tower - Wayside, St Brelade's Bay
Protected wildlife translocation and sand dune habitat creation for a 500m2 coastal strip around the former Wayside Café.
-
![]()
Historic Farm Complex - St Ouen
Ecological surveys of this farm complex in St Ouen found Protected Species and wildlife use that required mitigation to achieve Planning Permission.
-
![]()
Samarés Nurseries Re-Development
Large redundant glasshouse site with high populations of Protected Species groups present. Habitat re-creation and wildlife re-homed to specially created receptor sites.
-
![]()
Bat Mitigation for Site Development
Protected species mitigation and translocation in development project that involved a full re-roof and extensive re-landscaping work.
-
![]()
Wildlife Zone - Les Quennevais School
Agricultural fields re-zoned to accommodate the new school. Demonstration of environmental gain as a result of the development required.
-
![]()
Heathland Restoration - Wolf's Caves
The Planning Application to build a new home at Wolf’s Caves included an element to restore the coastal slopes in front of the property to species rich heathland.
-
![]()
Wildlife Pond & Waterfall - Daisy Hill
Large wildlife pond creation in a domestic garden to attract a variety of wildlife. Our client also wanted to create a natural looking stream and waterfall leading into the pond.
-
![]()
Planning in the Coastal National Park
Proposed demolition of a private house within the Coastal National Park where an Ecological Assessment and Species Protection Plan were reuiqred for Planning.
