Heather is characterized by acidic and infertile soil. Originally heather was found in dunes, mountain areas above the tree line and at the edges of raised bogs. Heather occurs in areas with high humidity as well as in dry areas, but with not too hot summers and no harsh winters. Especially in the flowering time, heathlands are very popular for walks and cycling trips.
Plants on wet and dry heather
Plants that grow in wet heathland are mainly heather (Erica tetralix) and pipe straw (Molinia caerulea). The Erica tetralix has many genera and many hundreds of species worldwide. Some species are also used as ornamental plants and for the manufacture of medicines. The heather (Calluna vulgaris) and smele (Deschampsia flexuosa) are mainly found on dry heather. In addition to heather plants, the heather often includes broom (Cytisus scoparius) and juniper (Juniperus communis), which belongs to the genus of the Cypress family.
Origin of heather through human intervention
Deforestation
There are several ways in which heathen originated. Some areas used to be widespread forests. Many of those forest areas have been cleared by logging, grazing animals and fire, with the result that plants that needed light could grow there. Grazing animals prevented young tree plants from growing. Drifting sand was formed during extreme mining.
Withdrawal of nutrients
In part, heather landscapes have also been created by extracting nutrients by cutting sods. This removed the top layer along with all the roots. The cut sods were used as fuel and also as bedding in stables. After use in stables, it was mixed with manure and spread over the fields. The other fertile raw materials in the chipped soil disappeared through grazing and rain. These heathlands are usually only fertile for Erica and juniper.
Grazing animals
Heaths have also been formed by intensive sheep farming, which happened from the Middle Ages. Especially remote areas were grazed by sheep. Every year the fertilizer from the sheep stables was sprinkled over the fields, making them higher and higher. This form of agriculture was maintained until the nineteenth century. But nowadays the heathland is also grazed by sheep and Scottish Highlanders and wild horses so that trees and grass have no chance to grow lush.
Posbank crowded in its heyday
The Netherlands has a number of heathland areas. The Posbank is a much visited heathland. This area is located near Rheden in the province of Gelderland. The name Posbank has to do with the monument on a striking viewpoint ninety meters above NAP. The monument consists of a semicircular bench named after GA Pos (former chairman of the ANWB). With a clear view, a view is possible from the location over the IJssel valley, the Achterhoek and the Liemers to Germany. The Posbank is part of the Veluwezoom National Park and attracts many visitors all year round, but especially many nature lovers during the period when the heather blooms from about mid-August to September.
Lüneburger Heide well-known tourist area
Not only in the Netherlands do we know various heathlands. A well-known area in Germany is the Lüneburg heath. It is a large area of mainly undulating landscape in the north-east of Lower Saxony. Until the beginning of the nineteenth century, large parts of Northern Germany were still covered with heather, but most of these have now disappeared except for the Lüneburger Heide. It is an important area for tourism in Northern Germany due to its unique natural landscape. The area is mainly kept open by grazing with Heidschnucken. These Heidschnucken eat, among other things, the young shoots of birch trees and thus ensure the preservation of the heather. As in all heathlands, it is important for hikers to stay on the routes, keep dogs on a leash and take waste with them.
Deployment of conservationists
But there are more important heathlands in Europe. Thanks to the efforts of conservationists, many areas are protected. They are not only popular areas for nature lovers, but heaths are also refuges for many animal species such as rare birds, foxes, hares, deer or rare reptiles and insects.