Trust helps restore rare plant population in Epping Forest

A delicate heathland species, bell heather (Erica cinerea), is set to make its return to Epping Forest after disappearing more than 50 years ago. This restoration effort is part of a conservation collaboration between Essex Wildlife Trust and City of London Corporation.

Bell heather, which thrives on dry, free-draining acid heathland, was once present at Long Running Heath in Epping Forest but vanished in the late 1960s. Unlike its relative heather (Calluna vulgaris), or the cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix) which prefers damper conditions, bell heather has very specific habitat needs, making it particularly vulnerable to habitat loss.

Jez Dagley from Essex Wildlife Trust with City of London Corporation colleagues crouching behind a new patch of planted bell heather at Epping Forest — Bell heather planting at Epping Forest from left to right: Dr Jeremy Dagley (Director of Conservation, Essex Wildlife Trust), Andy Froud (Biodiversity Officer, City of London Corporation), Paul Fletcher (Botanist), Tanith Cook (Head of Conservation, City of London Corporation) – photo by Andrew Wakefield

Today, its only known location in Essex is at Tiptree Heath nature reserve, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) managed by Essex Wildlife Trust in partnership with the Friends of Tiptree Heath. This site currently stands as the last refuge for bell heather in Essex, and the only site in the county where you can see all three species of heather.

This conservation initiative was spearheaded by Paul Fletcher, a passionate botanist and retired lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, working closely with Essex Botanical Society (BSBI) recorder Ken Adams. After extensive trials with different propagation methods, root cuttings were found to be the most successful, resulting in eight healthy bell heather plants transplanted into Epping Forest’s dry heathland.

This project represents an exciting opportunity to enhance Epping Forest’s rich and diverse heathland habitats, which contribute to its designation as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and SSSI. The City of London Corporation, which has managed the Forest for nearly 150 years, is dedicated to protecting and enriching this unique landscape, ensuring its wood-pasture, grasslands, and heathlands continue to thrive.

Natural England has endorsed the project as an important contribution to Essex’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), emphasizing its role in supporting the recovery of rare heathland species in the county.

Dr Jeremy Dagley, Director of Conservation for Essex Wildlife Trust, said:

“As one of the Trust’s most ecologically important sites, Tiptree Heath nature reserve’s success in nurturing all three native heathland species demonstrates the vital role small reserves can play in preserving biodiversity. The Trust is proud that this partnership with the City of London Corporation is helping to restore the once-lost bell heather to Epping Forest, with hopes that this collaboration will pave the way for future conservation efforts. I think the small, giving to the big - it's a nice touch.”

Ben Murphy, Chairman of the City Corporation’s Epping Forest and Commons Committee, said:

“Heathland habitats are remarkably fragile and re-introducing this rare native species of bell heather at Epping Forest after more than 50 years is an exciting milestone in our ongoing conservation efforts to improve biodiversity in Essex. If we are serious about nature recovery and delivering biodiversity net gain, we must continue to look beyond our borders and build new partnerships. This pilot with Essex Wildlife Trust will help restore one of the UK’s rarest and most threatened habitats.”