Treemendous Trees At Spitchwick

From a lichen’s perspective the Bovey Valley in East Dartmoor National Nature Reserve is an ideal home. In fact, Hisley Wood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest recognised for its assemblages of lichen, but having legal protection is only part of the story. To sustain these precious and rare species, more information is needed about the local lichen present in the woods. This is where the Lichen Lovers come in-to champion this miniature world. The Lichen Lovers are a group of enthusiastic and committed Devon naturalists who, between them, have a vast knowledge of hundreds of species of lichen and associated woodland wildlife. Their aim is to map their findings for Natural England and the Woodland Trust to develop habitat management plans.

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Natural Connections aims to enhance natural networks within a number of wet valleys (known as Rhôs pasture) in the Moor than meets the eye area, and encourage better management of them. The wildlife found in these areas includes a number of nationally rare species, including one, the Bog Hoverfly, which is only found on Dartmoor. They require extensive, suitable and inter-connected habitats in order to survive.

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The Moor than meets the eye Barbastelle Bats project in the Bovey Valley Woods (part of East Dartmmor NNR) is still helping scientists understand more about bats to help with future conservation. Last year researchers from Bristol University led a bat radio tracking project to look at these rare creatures. This summer Dr. Orly Razgour, a research fellow from the University of Southampton has started to survey these East Dartmoor bats as part of her European-wide genetic research project on bat responses to global climate change. So far, Dr. Razgour has gathered information on barbastelles from Morocco to Sweden and, for a few nights in August, she brought her survey equipment to the Bovey Valley Woods. You can read the whole story on our blog eastdartmoorwoods.org

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