Around the Town

• Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG)

A strategy to ensure developments leave the natural environment in a measurably better state than before; Sidmouth mandates a 20% increase.

• Brownfield

Land that has been previously developed or significantly altered by human intervention; often used to describe town centre ecological sites.

• Cryptogams

A group of plants and plant-like organisms (including mosses, lichens, ferns, and fungi) that reproduce by spores rather than seeds.

• Goyle

A local term for a steep-sided valley, often created by historical meltwater, such as the one found at Glen Goyle.

• Glyphosate

A common chemical weedkiller; the town is moving toward a total ban on its use to protect delicate ecosystems.

• Halophytes

Specialised plants that are highly tolerant of salt water and harsh coastal conditions, such as Rock Samphire or Sea Beet.

• iNaturalist

A citizen science platform used by groups like the Sid Valley Biodiversity Group to map and document local species.

• Lichens

Composite organisms consisting of algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi; often found on old gravestones and lime-mortar walls.

• Silvopasture

An agricultural practice that integrates trees and the grazing of domesticated animals on the same land.

• Three-Tier Mowing

A management regime that uses different grass heights (short, medium, and long) to balance human accessibility with pollinator habitat.

• Waxcap Fungi

Fungi characterised by waxy caps that serve as indicators of ancient, undisturbed, and unfertilised grasslands.

• Xeriscaping

A landscaping method that uses drought-resistant plants to reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water.