As the Chair of Natural Devon

CWS: There are no CWSs designated as bog.

Issues

• 
  Grazing (under grazing or over grazing) is one of the key management issues for wetland sites. It is not currently economically viable to maintain farming systems in marginal land in the uplands without agri-environment support. This is due to a range of factors such as the single payment scheme, cost of rearing stock and the static sale price. The number of farmers with livestock on the moors is declining and there is little capacity for investment in the necessary farm infrastructure to support sustainable farming systems.
  

• 
  Reduced hydrological integrity due largely to historical drainage and also erosion of gullies on degraded peatland due to peat cutting / burning and also public / military access.
  

• 
  Designations. Only a very small proportion of the area (~1200 hectares) of Rhôs pasture on Dartmoor National Park is designated as SSSI despite meeting the selection criteria. Without SSSI designation it is often harder to obtain funding via agri-environment schemes.
  

Successes
Uplands

• 
  Stocking levels have been reduced on the uplands and feeding and outwintering of stock has largely stopped. This is partly due to ESA / HLS payments as well as factors such as BSE, foot and mouth and changes to Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments. Burning has largely been brought under control on Dartmoor through the Emergency Fire Plan and Forest Fire Project.
  

• 
  The Dartmoor Vision Group is an alliance of hill farmers and agencies. In 2003 ecologists, archaeologists and farmers developed a ‘vision map’ for Dartmoor in order to provide farmers with a clear statement of what they wanted the moorland to look like in 2030. The Dartmoor Hill Farm Project was set up by DNPA in 2003 to help ensure a viable future for Dartmoor farmers.
  

• 
  The Two Moors Butterfly Project has been running since 2005 and aims to increase the populations of marsh fritillary, high brown fritillary and heath fritillary. The project encourages Dartmoor and Exmoor farmers to enter into agri-environment schemes to improve the wildlife value of Rhôs pasture (see Section 4.5).
  

• 
  Mires on the Moors¹ was set up in 2010 in order to restore blanket bog communities on Dartmoor and Exmoor. The project is supported by South West Water. Benefits include habitat enhancement, improved water quality and carbon storage (through protection of peat). Water resource management enhancements (slowing the rate of run off) are also being investigated.
  

Lowlands

• 
  DWT’s Working Wetlands project² has been running since 2008 in the Culm area of Devon. Its main aim is to help farmers to manage and restore Culm grasslands, and associated habitats, in order to enhance the wildlife and water storage value of Culm wetlands.[²⁸]
  

• 
  The Taw River Improvement Project is working in targeted areas in the Taw catchment to secure WFD targets – this includes sensitive management of wet semi-natural grasslands
  

• 
  The Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area commenced in 2012. It aims to restore ecosystem resilience across the Torridge catchment.
  

• 
  Beef and Butterflies in the Blackdown Hills AONB helped farmers manage semi-natural grasslands (mires, wet meadows, hay meadows and heathland) for wildlife and profit. The Project ended in 2013.
  

3.5 GRASSLAND and HEATHLAND

Broad habitat type	UK BAP priority habitats identified as key habitats in Devon (Devon BAP, 1998)
Neutral grassland	Lowland meadows
Calcareous grassland	Lowland calcareous grassland
Improved grassland	Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh
Dwarf shrub heath	Lowland heathland
	Upland heathland
Acid grassland	-

Lowland meadows are found principally on neutral, often well-drained soils. They are the product of traditional farming practices (grazing or cutting for hay) with little or no input of artificial fertilisers or herbicides. In Devon, they largely remain on isolated or inaccessible parcels of land, often on steep slopes, particularly in the Blackdown Hills, part of South Devon, Dartmoor fringes and in the Culm. They are of particular importance for species such as barn owl, cirl bunting, greater horseshoe bat, shrill carder bee and green-winged orchid.
Lowland calacareous grasslands develop on shallow lime-rich soils generally overlying limestone rocks, including chalk. They are often grazed by sheep, cattle or sometimes horses and a few may be cut for hay. Torbay’s limestone outcrops support extensive areas of calcareous grassland (including Berry Head, Wall’s Hill, Hopes Nose and Sharkham Point), which are of sigificant importance supporting 35 nationally threatened, rare and scarce plants. Calcareous grasslands are also found on the chalk hills of East Devon (Sidmouth to Beer Coast and Axmouth to Lyme Regis undercliffs) and Plymouth’s limestone outcrops.
Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh is defined as periodically inundated pasture or meadow with ditches (which maintain the water levels) containing standing brackish or fresh water. The ditches are especially rich in plants and invertebrates. In Devon grazing marsh is found on rivers such as the Axe, Otter, Clyst, Exe, Creedy and Taw. The largest areas are associated with estuaries where frequent flooding with freshwater in winter and spring creates ideal feeding conditions for a range of over wintering birds. Key areas are Braunton Marsh, Exminster Marshes and Axmouth Marsh.
Lowland heathland is found below 300m and is dominated by dwarf shrubs such as heathers and gorse intermixed with acid grassland, scrub and scattered trees. The main areas in Devon are East Devon Pebblebeds, Haldon ridge, Bovey Basin, Blackdown Hills, Dartmoor fringes, the Culm and Exmoor. Devon’s heathland is valuable for species such as Dartford warbler, nightjar, silver-studded blue and southern damselfly, and is one of the most important habitats for invertebrates in Devon.
Upland heathland is found above enclosed agricultural land and is dominated by dwarf shrubs, particularly heather and western gorse. It can be distinguished from blanket bog (which can also support dwarf shrubs) by occurring on mineral soils and thin peats (<0.5m). Although the upland heathland of Exmoor and Dartmoor forms only a small part of the total UK resource (aprox. 1%) it is important as the only sizeable area in southern Britain which allows transitions between upland and coastal heath. This characteristic is rarely seen elsewhere.

Lowland meadows / neutral grassland
Area mapped
5,116 ha
Data limitations: neutral grassland is generally found as part of a mosaic of habitats and so it is difficult to give a precise figure.

Condition of habitat in SSSIs
There are 19 SSSIs (658 hectares) with neutral grassland. 99% of habitat is assessed to be favourable or unfavourable recovering whilst only 1% (Park Farm Meadows SSSI) unfavourable no change, due to lack of appropriate grazing.


Condition of habitat in CWS
513 CWS contain lowland meadow (many of these are mosaic sites). 106 have been monitored and 30% assessed as Green. Issues include under grazing, scrubbing up, agricultural improvement, bracken encroachment and development.



Lowland calcareous grassland
Area mapped
775 ha
Data limitations: This habitat is generally part of a mosaic of habitats and so it is difficult to give a precise figure.
Condition of habitat in SSSIs
Four SSSIs (32 hectares) contain calcareous grassland (Bulmoor Pastures and Coppice and Spring Head, Axmouth in East Devon and Daddyhole and Hope’s Nose to Wall’s Hill in Torbay). 100% is in favourable or unfavourable recovering condition, although 55% is unfavourable recovering.

Note: Calcareous grassland on the East Devon coast (Sidmouth to Beer Coast and Axmouth to Lyme Regis Undercliffs SSSIs) and at Berry Head to Sharpham Point SSSI (Torbay) has been classed as suppralittoral rock. All sites are assessed as favourable or unfavourable recovering condition.

Condition of habitat in CWS
55 CWS contain lowland calcareous grassland. 15 have been monitored and 34% assessed as Green. Two sites were assessed as Red due to under grazing / scrubbing up.

Lowland acid grassland

(note that this is not identified as a key habitat in the Devon BAP but has been included due to its national significance)

Area mapped
793 ha

Condition of habitat in SSSIs
24 SSSI (957 hectares) contain lowland acid grassland. 92% of habitat is favourable or unfavourable recovering. 8% (72 hectares) is unfavourable declining (Common Moor, East Putford; Gilmoor & Moorlands, and a compartment Hare’s Down, Knowstone & Rackenford Moors). Issues include lack of management through grazing / scrub control.

Data limitations: Many SSSIs classed as acid grassland could be classed as fen, marsh and swamp. Sites such as Kingford Fen, Mambury & Stowford Moors, Hollow Moor & Odham Moor and Gilmoor and Moorlands are found on the Culm Measures and are mosaics of rush pasture, fen meadow and mire.

Condition of habitat in CWS

113 CWS contain lowland dry acid grassland. 23 sites have been monitored and 22% was assessed as Green. Issues included under-grazing and scrubbing up.

Upland acid grassland

(note that this is not identified as a key habitat in the Devon BAP)

Area mapped
There is no Devon BAP inventory for upland acid grassland.

Condition of habitat in SSSIs
5 SSSI (1,967 hectares) contain upland acid grassland. The majority (1,858 hectares) is within North Dartmoor SSSI. 100% of habitat is favourable or unfavourable recovering.

Condition of habitat in CWS
There are no CWS designated for upland acid grassland.
Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh
Area mapped
6,537 ha
Condition of habitat in SSSIs

No SSSIs have been classed as coastal and floodplain grazing marsh by NE. SSSIs with this habitat include Braunton Swanpool and Greenaways (largely favourable) and Freshmarsh SSSI (favourable condition).

Condition of habitat in CWS
37 CWS contain coastal and floodplain grazing marsh. Seven sites have been monitored. One site was classified as Green, whilst the other six were Amber.


Lowland heathland
Area mapped
3,989 ha
Condition of habitat in SSSIs
10 SSSI (1,903 hectares) contain lowland heathland. This is 48% of the area mapped by DBRC. 95% of habitat is favourable or unfavourable recovering. 5% (87 hectares) is unfavourable no change (Little Haldon Heaths) or declining (part of East Devon Pebblebeds and Maiden Down). Issues include encroachment by scrub (birch, pine, gorse) and bracken as well as lack of specific growth stages of heather. Management issues relate to grazing (largely under grazing), cutting and burning.


Condition of habitat in CWS
118 CWS containing lowland heath. 51 have been monitored and 33% were classed as Green. Issues include under grazing, scrubbing up, bracken encroachment and agricultural improvement.




Upland heathland
Area mapped
5,456 ha

Condition of habitat in SSSIs
16 SSSIs (15,408 hectares) contain upland heathland and these are largely found on Dartmoor and Exmoor. 97% is favourable or unfavourable recovering. However, the majority (79%, 12,245 hectares) is classed as unfavourable recovering. 418 hectares (3%), located predominantly in East and North Dartmoor are classed as unfavourable, no change or declining. Habitat is largely unfavourable due to lack of dwarf shrub regeneration and high levels of purple moor-grass cover due to historical high levels of grazing, especially during the winter. Inappropriate burning practices have also been cited. NE condition assessment of East Dartmoor states that no real recovery was apparent following the ESA scheme but that a reduction in grazing levels has been supported through entry into HLS. Heather beetle damage and illegal fires also remain current issues.



Condition of habitat in CWS
There are only 4 CWS containing upland heath. Two have been monitored since 2009. One site was classified as Green, and the other Amber due to scrub encroachment and loss of heathland species.
Data limitations: Upland BAP habitats are significantly under-represented by CWS designation. This has been due to lack of resource allocated for survey, coupled with a perceived low level of threat.


Issues

• 
  Grazing (at the appropriate level with appropriate stock) is the main management issue for grassland and heathland sites.
  

• 
  Illegal / inappropriate burning is also an issue for heathlands.
  

• 
  Damage from the Heather beetle, a native and widespread species across Britain’s uplands. This is a contributing factor in driving the change from heather to grass dominated moorland.
  

Successes

• 
  In 2008 Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust commenced a three year Loving our Limestone Project¹ to restore and enhance Torbay’s limestone grasslands through clearance of scrub and non native species.
  

• 
  In 2005 Clinton Devon Estates set up the Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust to aid management of the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths in liaison with the RSPB, DWT and other key stakeholders.
  

• 
  Over the last ten years the FC has been restoring heathland on Haldon through the Haldon Heathland grazing project².
  

• 
  HLS agreements have helped to bring sites back into favourable management.
  

Other successes are listed in Section 3.4 on Wetlands.

3.6 OTHER FARMLAND HABITATS

Broad habitat type	UK BAP priority habitats identified as key habitats in Devon (Devon BAP, 1998)
Arable and horticulture	Arable field margins
Boundary and linear features	Hedgerows

Arable field margins are herbaceous strips around arable fields, which are managed for wildlife. Cultivated low input margins provide habitat for rare annual arable plants and South Devon is nationally important for rare arable plants such as lesser snapdragon, cornflower and field woundwort.  Other margins may be sown with cereals or small seeded broad leaved plants to provide over winter seed for birds; sown with wild flowers or legumes to provide pollen and nectar for invertebrates; or managed as permanent grassland.

Hedgerows are defined as any boundary line of trees or shrubs over 20m long and less than 5m wide, where any gaps between the trees or shrub species are less that 20m wide. All hedgerows consisting predominantly (i.e. 80% or more cover) of at least one woody UK native species are covered by this priority habitat. The characteristic ‘Devon hedge’ consists of an earth bank faced with stone or turf, with shrubs on the top.
Devon’s hedge network is estimated to be 53,000kms long and is of national and international importance. The network is the most intact and the longest in Great Britain, and unequalled across Europe, with the possible exception of parts of the Republic of Ireland. Devon’s hedges and associated habitats form a continuous wildlife habitat across the county, which is of huge value to wildlife, supporting priority species such as bastard balm, cirl bunting, hazel dormouse, horseshoe bats and brown hairstreak.

Hedgerows

Area
It is estimated that the majority of Devon’s 53,000 kms of hedges can be classed as priority habitat. 53,000 kms of hedge has been calculated to equate to around 10,000 hectares of woodland edge habitat.

Condition
There is little information on the condition of Devon’s hedges. However, between 2007 and 2009 Devon FWAG and Exmoor National Park carried out random sample surveys of 10 parishes in Devon, collecting information on 1,308 hedges¹. Only 38% of hedges were found to be in favourable condition for wildlife, most failing because the shrub layer was either too short or excessively gappy at the base. 71% of banks were in good condition.

Issues

• 
  Shrub and tree management. Traditionally Devon’s hedges were rejuventated through laying or coppicing. Currently most hedges are either cut short every year or are neglected altogether, reducing their wildlife value and leading to eventual loss of the hedge. It is estimated that in Devon only 1% of hedges are rejuvenated each year, far less than the 2.5% thought necessary to sustain our hedges.
  

• 
  Hedgerow trees are gradually being lost, a situation which will be exacerbated by ash die back (ash makes up ~ 16% of Devon’s hedgerow shrubs). Dutch elm??
  

• 
  Bank management. Banks are subject to erosion and damage and require maintenance to retain hedges in favourable condition. Prolonged periods of wet weather, likely to become more frequent with climate change, can lead to slumping, while large farm and other vehicles are causing increasing damage to lane-side banks.
  

• 
  Margins. Intensive cutting and grazing regimes have led to the loss of flower-rich and tussocky margins, important for wildlife.
  

• 
  Reduced funding within agri-environment schemes. Since peak expenditure in 2004 funding available for hedge laying and coppicing through agri-environment schemes has fallen by 90% (Natural England data). Although uptake of hedge options within Entry Level Stewardship has been high, these largely promote changes in hedge cutting practices, rather than rejuvenation through laying or coppicing.
  

Successes

• 
  Agri-environment schemes have helped to fund the rejuvenation of Devon’s hedges over the last two decades. Many grubbed-out or badly eroded banked hedges have been reinstated through these schemes. Entry Level Stewardship has also been successful in encouraging farmers not to cut their hedges every year.
  

• 
  Devon Hedge Group. Due to celebrate its 20^th year in 2014, this group has been successful in promoting the huge value of Devon’s hedges.
  

• 
  Skills. A number of organisations, in particular the Blackdown Hills Hedge Association and Devon Rural Skills Trust, have increased the number of skilled hedge managers in the county.
  

• 
  Wood fuel. Recent research has confirmed that Devon hedges can be managed sustainably to produce a firewood crop in a practical and highly cost-effective manner. This offers a way to increase the number of hedges that are managed sustainably, while producing green energy.
  

• 
  Green Veins and Lanes project (2010-2012). This successful multi-partner Devon Hedge Group project helped raise awareness and understanding of Devon’s hedges.
  

4. SPECIES

There are currently 1,150 UK priority species¹ which have been identified as a priority for conservation action. In 1998 the Devon BAP identified 272 species as ‘key’ to Devon². 118 of these are on the current UK priority species list.
Each section below includes the following information for mammals, birds, reptiles & amphibians, fish, invertebrates, and plants & fungi:

1. 
   A list of the key species identified in the 1998 Devon BAP
   

2. 
   A status assessment of the species which had a Species Action Plan in the 1998 Devon BAP (see Appendix 4).
   

3. 
   Headline information on other priority species (and a few non priority species) where this was readily available.
   

Note that the lists of key species for Devon will be updated in 2014 to take account of the 2007 changes to the UK priority species list. This will be done through discussion with relevant experts.

4.1 MAMMALS
Key species identified for conservation in Devon (Devon BAP, 1998)
Dormouse, greater horseshoe bat, lesser horseshoe bat, barbastelle bat, Bechstein’s bat

natterer’s bat, brown hare, otter, water vole, harbour porpoise, bottle-nosed dolphin, common dolphin, long-finned pilot whale, grey seal, red deer*.

Bold = current UK priority species * - selected as characteristic of Devon or of popular appeal