2010-11 highlights
- Blackdown Hills case study at the heart of ‘greening' EU agriculture policy
- Deeper understanding of the landscape through in-depth character assessment
- Range of focused projects to benefit bats, butterflies and hedgerows
Collections of photographs and oral recordings to strengthen local heritage - Light pollution tackled with new guidance for communities and businesses
Higher Nature Value (HNV) farmland
The Blackdown Hills is one of four case studies in the south west where farmland rich in wildlife was mapped and farmers were interviewed about their farming practices and their attitude to 'high nature value' farmland. The project, which aims to ‘green' future EU agriculture policy has been co-ordinated by the European Forum for Nature Conservation and Pastoralism. The Blackdown Hills AONB team assisted work to identify HNV farmland and the farming systems that support it. This work will now be used to help develop policies that reward farmers who manage HNV farmland through premiums in farm payments and more localised agri-environment schemes.
EFNCP website
Beef and Butterflies
This project will encourage traditional grazing on marginal land, especially along the springlines, in order to enhance butterfly and other wildlife habitats. It will promote co-operative working between farmers and other landowners. It was developed during the year and successfully secured funding from Making it Local. Beef and Butterflies is a partnership project co-ordinated by the Neroche Scheme and involving Blackdown Hills AONB, Butterfly Conservation, Forestry Commission and Natural England.
Devon Landscape Character Assessment
The AONB was involved throughout the year in county-wide work to define the different landscape types within Devon (including the whole of the Blackdown Hills). The assessment has built up a ‘Devon picture' which will be used by everyone involved in landscape change to help protect distinctive and much-loved countryside. Members of the public have been encouraged to participate by nominating favourite landscapes online.
More on Landscape Character Assessment
CORDIALE
The Blackdown Hills AONB was part of a regional partnership which worked with protected landscapes in France to secure £3.1m of European funding. The project will explore ways of working with communities to better understand and appreciate nationally-designated landscapes. The project links designated landscapes in the south west of England with others in Brittany and Normandy to share expertise and field test new approaches to land management. Work done during the year by the Devon AONBs, Devon County Council, the South West Protected Landscapes Forum and the University of Plymouth will result in a £24,000 project for the Blackdown Hills AONB.
More on CORDIALE from SWPLF
Parish biodiversity audits
In collaboration with Devon and Somerset county councils, the AONB completed biodiversity audits of seven parishes: Culmstock, Hemyock, Broadhembury, Stockland, Upottery, Neroche and Buckland St Mary. These are detailed reports on the wildlife and health of the natural environment in each parish. It is hoped that we can work with parishes to ensure greater emphasis on biodiversity in parish planning, and to develop specific projects.
County Wildlife Site monitoring
Eight County Wildlife Sites were surveyed with funding from the AONB and Devon County Council. These added to the 17 sites monitored in the previous year. Reports on current conditions and management advice were provided to the landowners of each site.
Bats in the Blackdowns
The AONB supported two bat projects this year through the Sustainable Development Fund, aimed at increasing our understanding of bats in the Blackdown Hills. Devon Wildlife Trust carried out winter habitat work to benefit bats at three nature reserves: the Rough, Lickham Common and Ashculm Turbary. They erected bat boxes and built a larger bat roost. Somerset Environmental Records Centre also received SDF funding, which they used to carry out survey work and interpret aerial photographs to identify best habitats and landscape features for eight species of bats. Both of these projects will culminate in summer bat surveys during 2011.
Green Veins & Lanes
The distinctive and beautiful hedges of the Blackdown Hills will be centre stage thanks to work done by the Green Veins & Lanes project. A grant from SDF assisted the Devon Hedge Group to put together a programme of publicity, training, arts and events aimed at improving hedge management and celebrating the hedgerow heritage of Devon. The exhibitions and events continue into the coming year, including the launch of a Blackdown Hills Hedge Trail.
Green Veins & Lanes website
Hairstreaks of the Hedgerows
The brown hairstreak butterfly is a nationally important species which is vulnerable to changes in its hedgerow habitat, in particular hedge management. An SDF grant enabled Butterfly Conservation to survey hedgerows in certain areas of the Blackdown Hills and study the preferred hedgerow management for the brown hairstreak. The information gathered will be used to develop better, more specific management advice for local hedges.
Night sky guidance
The AONB team continued to promote night time darkness as one of the special qualities of the Blackdown Hills which must be protected. We produced downloadable guidance for householders and businesses to help everyone reduce light pollution and preserve our view of the galaxy.
Light pollution guidance
Harvesting Voices
The AONB and Making it Local supported this project to bring together oral history collections from around the area. Consultant Judy Simmonds gathered a wealth of recordings of reminiscences of life in the Blackdown Hills from current and former residents and developed ways of making the material widely accessible which will be launched during 2011/12. The archive will be mainly web-based, with listening posts and DVDs widening the availability of the recordings.
Otterhead feasibility study
The AONB supported the first stage of a project to rejuvenate a 19th century walled garden on the former grand estate of Otterhead. An SDF grant awarded to the Otterhead Estate Trust Company Ltd funded a feasibility study for repairs to the walls - the first step towards bringing the garden back into productive use.
Otterhead website
Blackdown archive
The Blackdown Archive project successfully applied for SDF funding to expand its collection of over 2000 local photographs and open its doors to the public. The funding enabled five open days to be organised, giving local people the opportunity to view the collection and bring along images to add.
Blackdown archive
