Surrey's heathlands are home to locally rare species such as the silver-studded blue butterfly and nightjar, and nationally rare species including the sand lizard and woodlark. Plants and animals that have specialised and adapted to its open landscape over thousands of years, disappear when their habitat becomes overgrown. Trees, scrub, bracken and grass have been invading the heaths as traditional heathland management has declined. See Heathland history to find out how heathland came about, and how it has been used in the past.
Heathland has been recognised as a rare and important habitat, and most heathland areas in Surrey have been designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Many also fall within international designations of Special Areas for Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Areas (SPA). Many areas of heathland are now managed for their nature conservation and recreational value.
