Heathland (purple), 530 hectares, is shown here with coniferous forest (turquoise).
Heathland in Berkshire is almost entirely restricted to the acid soils on the sand and gravel along the southern border of the county. Much of this area that has not been built on now contains conifer plantations, whose forestry cycle creates ephemeral open areas of “heath” habitat that attracts species such as Woodlark and Tree Pipit.