Bracken

(asked on 7th November 2017) - View Source

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their estimate of the proportion of open countryside in England that was covered by bracken in (1) 1987, (2) 1997, (3) 2007, and (4) 2017; and what assessment they have made of the reasons for any changes in that coverage.


This question was answered on 15th November 2017

The extent of bracken broad habitat in England is estimated as part of the Countryside Survey, which is a survey of land cover across the UK. The survey has been undertaken at intervals since 1978 and provides evidence about the extent and condition or ‘health’ of the UK’s countryside today. The most recent survey was conducted in 2007.

Estimations for the extent of bracken broad habitat in England are available from 1990 onwards and are provided in the table below. Data is not available for all the years referenced in the question. Within the survey, bracken broad habitat is defined as area with 95-100% coverage with bracken plants. Between 1990 and 2007 there was no change in the overall extent of bracken.

Table: Estimated area (’000s ha) and percentage of land area of the Bracken Broad Habitat in England from 1990 to 2007. Source: Countryside Survey 2007.

Year

1990

1998

2007

(‘000 ha)

% area of England

(‘000 ha)

% area of England

(‘000 ha)

% area of England

Bracken

93

0.7

109

0.8

91

0.7

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