Pow Hill Heath is on the south side of the reservoir and is a mid-altitude heath. It is designated as a Local Wildlife Site, supports a range of plants, reptiles, birds, mammals and invertebrates e.g. green hairstreak butterfly.

The diverse heathland plants include heather, bilberry, wavy hair grass, common milkwort, lousewort, stitchwort, marsh thistle, harebell, tormentil, cotton grass and speedwell. 

We have lost about 80% of heathland since the late 1800s. One factor having a detrimental effect is encroaching scrub like birch.

The Heart of Durham team has been removing this birch to halt succession to a woodland and laying lines of dead hedges, providing a new habitat for ground foraging birds and sheltering invertebrates – a win/win for this scarce habitat!