We have lost more than 5,000 miles of dry stone walls in England and Wales since 1947, mainly due to neglect after damage by livestock, dogs and walkers dislodging capping stones, and vibration damage from heavy vehicles. Walls are important habitats, offering food, shelter and nesting sites to a wide range of species. It is also essential to maintain the craft of walling. Dry stone walls are part of our archaeological heritage - a fact which contributes to their decline. Attractive, weathered stone often 'disappears' from roadside sites for garden rockeries. Some landowners, attracted by the high price of weathered stone have sold whole walls for garden centre resale or to building contractors. Of the total estimated length ofin England of 70,000 miles (113,000 km), only 4% were categorised to be in "excellent" condition in a 1994 survey.
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