The relative performance of smooth snakes inhabiting open heathland and conifer plantations

This study has potentially important implications for the conservation of smooth snakes and other reptile and vertebrate species inhabiting coniferous plantations, where management practices aimed at reducing ground vegetation cover, such as cattle grazing and the use of herbicides, are also used. The combination of increasing canopy cover and these additional ground vegetation control measures are likely to significantly reduce further the time period over which plantations can be utilised by these taxa.