The River Avon rises at Aune Head, the area of South Dartmoor which is the source of the rivers Plym, Yealm, Erme and Mardle. It takes a roughly southerly course through open moorland for some three miles before its flow is impeded by the Avon Dam above Shipley Bridge. Here it enters a farmed landscape, bypasses South Brent, goes under the A38 dual carriageway and follows a southerly route through Avonwick, Diptford and Loddiswell before swinging west to Aveton Gifford where it becomes tidal before reaching the open sea between Bantham and Bigbury. For much of its course it is hidden from public view since the demise of the Primrose Railway Line to Kingsbridge
The river runs through countryside of great beauty with a varied rural landscape of farmland, deep, remote wooded valleys and species rich grassland. The Avon catchment is home to a cluster of County Wildlife Sites and is important habitat for endangered species such as the great horseshoe bat and dormouse. Changes in agricultural practices and land ownership patterns have resulted in a combination of extremes, from more intensively managed farmland with issues such as over-grazing and run-off into watercourses, to abandoned woodlands and valley grasslands which are now covered in scrub.
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), in partnership with local wildlife charity, South Devon Nature Trust (SDNT) and Think Nature, have been running a pilot project over the past four years seeking to protect and increase wildlife and semi natural habitats. Using a whole holding approach the project offers landowners a farming and wildlife advisory service aimed at restoring and recreating precious wildlife habitats and uses DWT’s Andrews Wood Nature Reserve near Loddiswell as a land management demonstration site.
Land Management Advisory Officer Lynne Kenderdine (DWT) and Assistant Landscape Ecologist Craig Dunton (SDNT/ThinkNature) organised a get together at Hazelwood House at the end of March to report progress on the Avon Valley Pilot Project. Some 20 landowners and people associated with the scheme attended. Lynne reported that the project had been very well received and a great deal had been achieved thanks to the cooperation of landowners. Some 80 site visits per year have been carried out and the project has worked with over 100 landowners.
The main thrust of the project is to try and connect habitats together. Wildlife use the landscape as a series of stepping stones, hedges, woodlands, and meadows become places to feed, breed, shelter and rest. Given that 98% of wildflower meadows have declined since the 1950’s, flower rich wildflower meadows are seen as a key habitat and the project has initiated some exciting work to reinstate them. Landowners with existing flower rich meadows have donated seed, this has been harvested using either a leaf vacuum or brush harvester. The harvested seeds are then sifted and dried and have been used to create 20 acres of new wildflower meadows in the Avon Valley.
With the help of volunteer groups from DWT and The Conservation Trust, a ‘green haying’ trial which involved taking freshly cut hay from Longmarsh in Totnes and transplanting this on David Halsall’s land at Aveton Gifford took place in 2013. Elsewhere volunteer groups have also been involved in vital scrub clearance sessions; opening up space on previously neglected valley grasslands, letting in the light and allowing cattle grazing. Yellow rattle – a semi parasitic annual which reduces grass density is regarded as a key species in the work of the project.
For further information contact Lynne on lkenderdine@devonwildlifetrust.org (telephone 01392 279244 or 07770 995976) or Craig on info@devonhabitats.co.uk (07807215270
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