The Heath: Moor or less

• Bunter Pebblebeds

A massive gravel deposit laid down during the Triassic period (240 million years ago) by a prehistoric river flowing from what is now France.

• Clay-with-flints

A geological capping material found on sites like Mutter’s Moor that is acidic and structurally unworkable for agriculture.

• Commoners

Local individuals with legal rights to use specific lands for activities like grazing, fuel harvesting, and cutting vegetation.

• Hydrological Mosaic

A patchwork of different water environments (from dry heaths to bogs) created by the varying permeability and topography of the soil.

• Iron Pan

A dense, subterranean layer of compacted minerals (principally iron) that acts as an impermeable barrier to water and roots.

• Leaching

The process by which acidic water filters through soil, washing away soluble nutrients and minerals and leaving the top layers "bleached" and poor.

• Lowland Heath

A man-made, cultural landscape characterised by acidic soil and the dominance of dwarf shrubs like heather and gorse.

• Natural Succession

The natural process by which a landscape transitions from open ground to scrub and eventually to mature forest if left undisturbed.

• Plagioclimax Community

An ecosystem that is held in a state of stasis and prevented from reaching its natural climax (forest) due to continuous human disturbance.

• Podsol

A specialised soil profile characterised by distinct layers, high acidity, and a nutrient-poor composition.

• Swailing

The practice of controlled winter burning used to clear old growth and encourage the regeneration of heathland plants.

• Upper Greensand

A Cretaceous geological formation that provides the foundation for several heaths in the Sid Valley.