Classifying Sidmouth Woodland

To truly understand the nature of a woodland, ecologists use the National Vegetation Classification (NVC) system. This system identifies 19 specific communities of plants and trees that are considered true woodland. Each community is defined by "key vegetative species"—specific plants that, when found together, tell us what kind of wood we are standing in.

The Native Tree Indicators

The NVC system identifies 13 species of trees that are native to Britain and indicate a "natural" habitat. By looking at which of these grow in Sidmouth, we can see how "natural" our local woods really are.

Frequency of Native Trees in Sidmouth Woodland Sites:

Tree Species Found in Sidmouth? Frequency in Woodland Sites

Beech Yes 66.7% 

Ash Yes 58.3% 

Rowan Yes 33.3% 

Field Maple Yes 33.3% 

Scots Pine Introduced 25.0% 

Pedunculate Oak Yes 16.7%

Common Alder Yes 16.7% 

The Findings: Out of the 13 indicator species, six do not occur naturally in Sidmouth. While species like Scots Pine and Yew are present, they are known to have been introduced by people rather than growing here naturally.

Narrowing Down the Classification

Since Beech and Ash are the only native species occurring frequently across local woodland sites, we can narrow down our search for "natural" woodland types to just five NVC classifications :

• W7: Alder/Ash - Yellow Pimpernel

• W8: Ash - Field Maple - Dog’s Mercury

• W9: Ash - Rowan - Dog’s Mercury

• W12: Beech - Dog’s Mercury

• W14: Beech - Bramble

The Mystery of the Ground Flora

To confirm these classifications, we must look at the plants on the ground. However, Sidmouth’s ground flora tells a complicated story:

The Case of the Yellow Pimpernel (W7)

Yellow Pimpernel has been found at Harpford Wood, Riverside Wood, and Greystone & Lydes Hill. However, the colonies are so small (only a few square meters) that it isn't enough to officially classify these as W7 "Alder/Ash" woodlands.

The Case of Dog's Mercury (W8, W9, W12)

Dog’s Mercury is often a key indicator, but in Sidmouth, it behaves strangely:

• It is found on 13 sites, but only three of those are actual woods (Riverside, Harcombe Lane, and Milltown Lane).

• The Verdict: In our area, Dog’s Mercury seems to be an indicator of where woodland used to stand (like old forest paths) rather than the nature of the woods we see today.

Conclusion: What are Sidmouth's Woods?

When we strip away the rare plants and the introduced species, we reach a clear conclusion for the Sidmouth area:

The vast majority of our remaining woodland sites are either NVC W14 (Beech - Bramble) or have been artificially created as plantations.