| Advantages |
Disadvantages |
| Post-fire open vegetation can show a dramatic increase in species diversity |
Difficult to predict the type of vegetation which may develop |
| Burning can be controlled. Best period winter/early spring |
Control can be difficult without small burns (requires much manpower).
Need for firebreaks. |
| Heat treatment increases germination of ericaceous species |
May adversely affect other species not resistant to fire |
| Managed heathland with low-growing vegetation less susceptible to accidental
fires |
Accidental firs are a constant problem |
| Burning provides a short term solution to scrub control, allowing follow-up
management by regular rotational burning and/or grazing |
My increase non-heathland species at least in the short term. Does not
break down purple moor-grass Molinia
and provides little of the variation associated with grazing |
| It is non-selective |
Changes tend to be 'drastic'. Does not have the fine tuning opportunities
given by grazing |
