Knapp and Knowle

To the west of Sidmouth town lies a network of green spaces that form one of the area's most significant natural assets. While these sites are managed by different organizations, nature ignores human boundaries. Together, they form a contiguous wildlife corridor—an integrated biodiversity network where animals and insects move freely across the landscape.

The Core Sites: A Survey of Diversity

The Sidmouth Nature project surveyed six key locations that define this cluster:

• The Knapp: A diverse mix of semi-natural grassland, woodland, and a community orchard.

• Peasland Knapp: An "extension" of The Knapp featuring steep, west-facing semi-natural grassland.

• Knapp Nature Pond: A small but vital area featuring a pond restored specifically for wildlife.

• Sidmouth Cemetery: A "brownfield" site where long-undisturbed areas have allowed grassland habitats to recover.

• The Knowle: Once parkland, this site is undergoing restoration to improve the diversity of plants and animals.

• Bickwell: A hedgerow habitat, possibly of ancient origin, with a rich mix of herbs and shrubs.

The "Hub" and Hidden Gems

The value of these public sites is amplified by two neighbouring private areas that act as a "hub" for the network: Manor Park, a large undeveloped parkland , and Highfield Meadow, owned by the Sid Vale Association to protect its sensitive flora and fauna.

By the Numbers: Why This Cluster Matters

The ecological data reveals that this cluster is a major "hotspot" for the Sidmouth area. Despite representing only 12% of the total sites surveyed, this cluster contains nearly half (43.3%) of all recorded species in the project.

Species Group % of Total Survey Found Here Key Site for this Group

Flowering Plants 52.2% The Knowle (116 species)

Insects 39.0% The Knapp (37 species)

Grasses & Sedges 40.9% The Knapp (12 species)

Fungi & Lichen 35.3% Sidmouth Cemetery (23 species)

Niche Habitats

• The Cemetery is a haven for lichens found on old tombstones and waxcap fungi in undisturbed areas.

• Bickwell provides a specialized home for non-flowering plants like mosses and ferns, hosting 90.1% of the cluster's species in this category.

• The Knapp leads in insect diversity thanks to its bramble scrub and umbellifer flowers, which serve as vital food sources.