Email: Countryside@forest-heath.gov.uk   Tel:01638 719214

Covering approximately 380 sq km, Forest Heath contains unique contrasting landscapes of brecks, fens, chalk downland and clay downland as well as Britain’s largest lowland pine forest.

Forest Heath is unusual within the county of Suffolk in having a high percentage of its area designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This reflects the nationally important breckland habitats which support a wide range of nationally rare and Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species. The district is split into four natural areas:

• East Anglian chalk in the south around Newmarket where small areas of species rich grassland survive amongst horse paddocks and gallops.
• East Anglian clay downlands in the south east – a rolling arable landscape supporting the only ancient woodland to be found in the district.
• The fens to the north west – an intensively farmed, flat landscape with little room for wildlife outside of the dykes, drains and narrow verges of the drove roads.
• Breckland in the centre and east with a mixture of arable farmland and conifer plantation with areas of heath and the long lines of bent pines left from former wind breaks.

The breckland supports many of the important BAP species and habitats in the district. Species like Stone Curlew, Nightjar and Woodlark breed here in sufficient numbers for some areas to warrant international designations. The farmland also has good numbers of Brown Hare and Grey Partridge. In the forest plantations there is a small declining population of Red Squirrel. There are significant areas of lowland heathland and acid grassland. The light sandy soils have led to much of the farmland going in and out of cultivation and these ‘breck’ fields support a unique flora of tiny annual plants such as fingered speedwell which are not found elsewhere in Britain. Other BAP species such as Tower Mustard and Red-tipped Cudweed are also adapted to these disturbed light soils.

There is relatively little open water in the district, but the valleys of the Little Ouse, the Lark and the Eriswell cut-off channel all have Otters. Water Voles can be found alongside many of the fenland drains. Restoration work at Lakenheath Washes provides an important area of reedbed designed to support the Bittern. These inland reedbeds will become increasingly important as sea level rise continues to threaten the south and east coast.

Where the breckland and fens join there are a few wetland sites which support an unusual flora and fauna with species like the rare Leaf Beetle at Pashford Poors Fen (its only UK site) and the Greater Water Parsnip at Hurst Fen. These sites are all suffering from drying out due to a general lowering of the water table.

Most of the district is covered by farmland but there is significant urban development around Brandon and Newmarket as well as the military airbases at Mildenhall and Lakenheath. These areas are discussed in greater detail in the district Green Audit (currently being drafted).

Apart from a few small sites on clayland in the south east corner, there is little ancient woodland in the district. Parkland is also scarce, with Aspal Close Local Nature Reserve at Beck Row near Mildenhall being the only example.

The RSPB is currently developing a major new wetland reserve at Lakenheath Fen. Funded by a European Life grant, once established this reserve promises to fulfil several national Habitat Action Plans (HAPs) and Species Action Plans (SAPs) and addresses the future loss of coastal wetlands through sea level rise.

The majority of large scale land owners such as Elveden Estate, Ministry of Defence and farmers are signed up to Countryside Stewardship Agreements for sensitive land management.

Forest Enterprise, Suffolk Wildlife Trust and English Nature own and manage a considerable percentage of the district for nature conservation.

Since establishing Aspal Close in Beck Row as a Local Nature Reserve in 2001, we have more recently designated Maidscross Hill in Lakenheath and Barton Mills Riverside Reserve near Mildenhall.