As the Chair of Natural Devon

Foreword

As the Chair of Natural Devon, the Devon Local Nature Partnership, I am delighted to introduce this comprehensive review of Devon’s wonderful wildlife and habitats. It has been drawn up with the help of many individuals and organisations and represents a huge body of knowledge about our county. We are very grateful to those who have so generously shared their expertise.

The report is full of fascinating detail. It tells a story of flourishing wildlife and magnificent efforts to bring it back from the brink. There are great successes here but also some less good news. Above all, there is a clear message that we still need to look after and value Devon’s wildlife if we are not to lose all or part of our ‘natural capital’.
With our partners, Natural Devon will use the evidence presented here to identify the priorities and actions which are needed to re-build Devon’s biodiversity.
We will produce a yearly update and a full report in 5 years’ time, and we anticipate that we will be able to report on the successful outcomes of the huge amount of work currently underway to restore habits and species – it can be done if we work together.
Do please enjoy reading the State of Devon’s Nature Report and get in touch if you have any comments or additional information at [e-mail]


Suzanne Goodfellow, Chair, Natural Devon

March 2014

Contents

Headlines

1. 
   Introduction
   

2. 
   Designated sites
   

2.1 Sites of Special Scientific Interest
2.2 County Wildlife Sites

3 Habitats
3.1 Woodland

Overview of priority habitats

Broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland

Issues

Successes
3.2 Coast and marine

Overview of priority habitats

Maritime cliff and slope

Coastal sand dunes and vegetated shingle

Sabellaria alveolata (honeycomb worm) reefs

Saltmarsh, mudflats and seagrass beds

Sub tidal habitats

Issues

Successes
3.3 Rivers and Standing Open Water

Overview of priority habitats

Rivers

Standing open water

Issues

Successes

3.4 Wetlands

Overview of priority habitats

Fen, marsh and swamp

Bogs

Issues

Successes

3.5 Grassland and heathland

Overview of priority habitats

Lowland meadows

Lowland calcareous grassland

Coastal and floodplain grazing marsh

Lowland heathland

Upland heathland

Issues

Successes
3.6 Other farmland habitats
4. Species
4.1 Mammals

Key species in Devon (1998 BAP)

Dormouse

Otter

Water vole

Brown hare

Greater horseshoe bat
4.2 Birds

Key species in Devon (1998 BAP)

Barn owl

Cirl bunting

Nightjar

Breeding curlew

Upland birds

Seabirds

Woodland birds
4.3 Reptiles and amphibians

Key species in Devon (1998 BAP)

Great crested newt

Sand lizard

Other species
4.4 Fish

Key species in Devon (1998 BAP)

Atlantic salmon
4.5 Invertebrates

Key species in Devon (1998 BAP)

Pink sea fan

Freshwater pearl mussel

White clawed crayfish

Southern damselfly

Marsh fritillary

Pearl bordered fritillary

Other species
4.6 Plants and fungi

Key species in Devon (1998 BAP)

Golden hair lichen

Whitebeams

Other species

5. 
   Acronyms
   

5. 
   References and links
   

5. 
   Acknowledgements
   

Appendix 1 - Summary framework for nature conservation in England

Appendix 2 – Devon habitats of European importance

Appendix 3 – BAP Priority Habitat Inventories

Appendix 4 – Methodology for the Devon species status assessment

HEADLINES

Devon is hugely important for wildlife
Devon supports a wide range of species and habitats of international importance. Many of our blanket bogs, heaths, old sessile oak woodlands, culm grasslands, sea cliffs, dunes, estuaries, reefs and sea caves are protected under European legislation. A number of globally threatened species, such as the European eel, freshwater pearl mussel and pink sea fan, are found in Devon. Species such as the Lundy cabbage flea beetle and horrid ground weaver spider are not found anywhere else in the world. Our healthy otter population is recognised to be of international importance.

Devon is important for many of England’s ‘natural treasures’ including Atlantic ferns, mosses and lichens (associated with old sessile oak woodlands), breeding sea birds, veteran trees and wintering and passage waterbirds. We are a stronghold for rare species such as the greater horseshoe bat and dormouse.

This amazing natural environment underpins life in Devon. We need nature. It provides us with products such as fuel, water, timber and fuel; with vital services such as pollination, flood control, water purification and climate regulation, and with great recreational opportunities that make us happier and healthier.

How are our habitats and species faring?
The habitat losses of the 20^th century have already been well documented elsewhere (see the 1998 Devon Biodiversity Action Plan). Major habitat loss through development, forestry and agricultural improvement have, to some extent, been controlled through legislation and policy. However the majority of our habitats are now small and fragmented and their value is threatened due to a range of issues including invasive species, disease, lack of appropriate management, pollution, climate change, changes to funding sources such as agri-environment grants, and continued fragmentation due to development pressure.

Designated sites (see Section 2)
In Devon the Government target to bring 95% of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) into favourable or unfavourable recovering condition was met in 2011. In 2012 36% SSSIs were in favourable condition, 61% in unfavourable recovering condition and 3% in unfavourable condition.
487 of Devon’s 2090 County Wildlife Sites (CWS) have been monitored since 2009. 34% were classified as green (ok), 51% as amber (ok but could do better) and 15% as red (in need of urgent attention).

Habitats (see Section 3)
The table below summarises the state of habitats using information from SSSI and CWS monitoring. We currently have more information for SSSIs than CWS and, as resources are focused on SSSIs, the actual state of habitats is likely to be worse than this summary shows.

Green	Amber	Red	Unknown
Mudflats, seagrass beds Upland fen, marsh and swamp	Broadleaved, mixed and yew woodland Maritime cliff and slope Upland bog Rivers Standing Open Water Coastal and flood plain grazing marsh Lowland calcareous grassland Upland and lowland heathland Hedges	Coastal sand dunes and vegetated shingle Lowland fen, marsh and swamp Lowland bog Lowland meadows	Sabellaria reefs Sub tidal rock Sub tidal sediments Arable field margins

Green = over 75% of habitats within SSSI and CWS monitored are favourable and less than 5% are unfavourable

Red = More than 5% of habitats within SSSI and / or CWS monitored are unfavourable Amber = other habitats

Species (see Section 4)
The table below shows the status of UK priority species for which Devon wide action plans were produced in 1998.

Green	Amber	Red	Unknown
Otter Dormouse Nightjar	Greater horseshoe bat Barn Owl Cirl bunting Great crested newt Atlantic salmon Southern damselfly Pink sea fan Golden hair lichen	Water vole Curlew (breeding) Marsh fritillary Pearl bordered fritillary White clawed crayfish Fresh water pearl mussel	Brown hare

Green = favourable Amber = unfavourable inadequate Red = unfavourable bad

Bold = on the IUCN list of globally threatened species
Seven UK priority species have become extinct in England since the Devon BAP was produced in 1998. Two of these were found in Devon, the orange upperwing moth and Irish ladies tresses plant. A ciliate straplichen (Heterdermia leucomelos) has also become extinct in this time.
Species in danger of extinction include: water vole, breeding curlew, white clawed crayfish, fresh water pearl mussel, ring ouzel, high brown fritillary, field gentian, water germander, triangular club rush, narrow headed ant and a nomad bee (Nomada sexfasciata).
Species showing large declines since 1998 include: lapwing, kittwake, willow warbler, wood warbler and sunset cup coral.

General overview
Woodland

• 
  Woodlands have been given amber status. They remain broadly static in size but face challenges. Invasive species (especially rhododendron and cherry laurel),lack of management and large deer and grey squirrel populations threaten to undermine the health of native woods. Diseases such as ash die back are an increasing threat.
  
• 
  A number of Devon’s woodland bird species such as willow warbler have declined dramatically over the past 30 years. However Devon’s woods and hedges remain a stronghold for dormice. Dartmoor’s ancient woodland pastures support the most important populations of blue ground beetle in the UK.
  
• 
  The increasing interest in woodfuel offers new opportunities for sustainable management of woods.
  

Marine and coastal

• 
  Sea cliffs and sand dunes are threatened by scrub encroachment due to lack of appropriate grazing and invasive species. Coastal squeeze (loss of intertidal habitats through sea level rise) threatens sand dunes and saltmarsh. However scrub clearance on Torbay’s limestone grasslands has led to a spectacular increase in species such as white rock rose.
  
• 
  Soft cliffs in South Devon feature some of the country’s most important sites for solitary bees, including supporting the only remaining population of a nomad beetle. Wildlflower rich cliff top grasslands in South Devon support some of the only UK populations of the short necked and Mediterranean oil beetles.
  
• 
  We generally have poor knowledge of sub tidal marine habitats and species. Known issues include, bottom trawling and scallop dredging which can damage marine ecosystems, overfishing, pollution and climate change. The Balearic shearwater which feeds in Devon waters is globally threatened.
  
• 
  Pink sea fan (a coral) is also globally threatened but now protected from commercial fishing activities around Lundy and in Lyme Bay. Manx shearwaters are successfully breeding again on Lundy and their numbers have increased tenfold (300 to over 3000 pairs) since the eradication of rats in 2004.
  

Rivers

• 
  32% of our rivers are in good condition. Improvements are being made but many of those failing to meet these standards are still affected by pollution, barriers to fish movement and poor aquatic habitat.
  

• 
  The freshwater pearl mussel and white clawed crayfish (both globally threatened species) are in danger of extinction on Devon’s rivers; pearl mussels due to poor water quality and crayfish due to disease from introduced signal crayfish.
  

• 
  Water voles became extinct in Devon in the early 2000s due to predation from mink and loss of suitable habitat. Re-introductions have taken place in Devon but their future here remains uncertain due to the continued presence of mink. However, control over pesticides and improved habitat has led to an increase in otters on all Devon’s rivers and Devon now has an internationally important otter population.
  

• 
  Catchment partnerships and projects are being set up across Devon to help us meet Water Framework Directive targets for our rivers.
  

Upland wetlands and heathlands

• 
  Grazing levels and burning regimes are on the whole currently being well managed by farmers supported by agri-environment grants . However large areas are still species poor, and will take a long time to recover. Projects such as Mires on the Moors and Two Moors Threatened Butterfly Project are helping to restore upland habitats and species such as the dunlin and marsh fritillary.
  
• 
  The moors of Dartmoor and Exmoor support nationally important numbers of bird species, including the only breeding dunlin and the largest numbers of breeding snipe in southern England. Some species such as grasshopper warbler, stonechat and nightjar are faring well. However ring ouzel lapwing and red grouse are now extinct on Exmoor and there are only 5 – 8 pairs of breeding curlew left in Devon.
  
• 
  The populations of rare species found largely (or only) on Dartmoor such as southern damselfly, blue ground beetle, narrow bordered bee hawk moth and bog hoverfly (Eristalis cryptarum) are thought to be stable. Dartmoor supports the only remaining populations of Eristalis cryptarum in the UK.
  

Lowland wetlands, grasslands and heathlands

• 
  Scrub encroachment, due to lack of grazing, is a big problem for species associated with our lowland grasslands and heathlands. However where habitats are managed these declines can be halted. The marsh fritillary butterfly is still rare in Devon but habitat management through projects such as Working Wetlands and Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area is helping to secure its future. Both the silver studded blue butterfly and southern damselfly are declining nationally but have shown a small increase in numbers on the East Devon heathlands where management is being undertaken.
  

Other farmland

• 
  Devon’s 53,000 kms of hedges remains the longest and most intact network in Britain and is of huge wildlife value. However a survey of 10 parishes found only 38% to be in favourable condition for wildlife. Issues include loss of hedgerow trees, lack of rejuvenation through management such as coppicing or laying, erosion of banks and intensive management of hedge margins.
  
• 
  The recovery of Devon’s cirl bunting and barn owl populations is a great example of Devon farmers and wildlife organisations working together for nature. In 1989 there were 118 cirl bunting territories. By 2009 there were 862. Whilst the population of Devon’s barn owls increased by 37% between 1993 and 2003 their future remains uncertain due to issues such as anticoagulant rodenticides, roads and potential changes to agri-environment schemes.