An absorbing celebration of the ecology, biology, geology and cultural history of one of Britain's most important and vulnerable landscapes.Heathlands are so much more than simply purple carpets of heather. This latest addition to the British Wildlife Collection celebrates the diversity and natural history of a distinct and vulnerable cultural landscape, one that can be found throughout the British Isles.Beginning with an introduction to heathlands, how they can be defined and the associated wildlife that may be encountered there, Clive Chatters goes on to take the reader on a geographical tour of suites of heathlands throughout the British lowlands, with an in memoriam nod to those that have been erased from common memory and understanding. He concludes with a review of how people have perceived and used heathland wildlife over the ages, and sets out a future vision for the conservation of this iconic landscape, its unique habitats and the species that live there.