Salcombe Ecology Network

Ancient Woodland Indicator: Species, such as Dog's Mercury, that grow very slowly and typically only exist in areas where the soil has remained undisturbed for centuries.

Angiosperms: Flowering plants, including grasses, trees, and shrubs, which represent a significant portion of the biodiversity in the Salcombe Network.

Calcicolous Plants: Lime-loving plants, such as Wild Thyme and Rock Rose, that thrive in the chalk grasslands of the SSSI.

Community Asset Transfer (CAT): A process where the ownership or management of a public asset is transferred to a community-led organization or charity.

Cryptogams: Spore-producing plants and organisms, including fungi, lichens, mosses (bryophytes), and ferns (pteridophytes).

Halo Thinning: A management technique where competing younger growth is removed from around the base of an older, notable tree to ensure it has space and light.

Heaths to Sea Landscape Recovery Project: A 20-year strategic partnership (2025–2045) aimed at linking the Pebblebed Heaths to the Jurassic Coast.

LNRS (Local Nature Recovery Strategy): A framework, such as the one in Devon, that identifies continuous mosaics of habitats like grasslands and cliffs for prioritized recovery.

Regenerative Agriculture: A farming approach focused on restoring soil health, increasing biodiversity, and improving carbon sequestration, often involving low-density grazing.

Saproxylic: Organisms, such as certain beetles and fungi, that depend on dead or decaying wood for their life cycle.

SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest): A formal conservation designation protecting areas with significant geological or biological value, such as the Sidmouth to Beer Coast.

Succession: The natural process by which an ecological community undergoes changes in species structure over time, such as a pasture transitioning into a secondary woodland.

Unconformity: A geological feature where there is a gap in the rock record, such as Jurassic layers being missing between Triassic and Cretaceous rocks.

Undercliff: A unique habitat created by natural landslips and erosion, providing specialized environments for rare insects and plants.

Virtual Fencing: A system using GPS and electronic collars to contain or direct livestock grazing without physical barriers.