Bracken Print

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Bracken (Pteridium) is predominantly a woodland plant but can be widely seen on the moorlands of the Clwydian range and Llantysilio mountains, where it is considered an invasive species. Bracken spreads by approximately 3% per year nationally, often impacting on agriculture and conservation objectives. As bracken areas grow on moorlands, they threaten the internationally important heathland communities. Bracken not only reduces grazing areas, but threatens valuable nesting areas for birds. Bracken is a favoured breeding area for sheep ticks which can transfer Lyme disease and tick-borne meningoecephalitis to humans and Louping Ill to sheep. They also transfer disease to moorland birds.

 

click here for larger imageBracken is also believed to be carcinogenic and has been blamed for increased levels of stomach cancer in Japan, where parts of bracken are eaten as a vegetable.

 

Information on how we try to control the spread of bracken and revert areas back to heathland can be found in the Moorland Management section.

 

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