Knapp and Knowle

Unlike other areas in Sidmouth that have formal projects (like the "Heath to Sea" initiative), the Knapp and Knowle cluster operates through a shared, informal philosophy of nature recovery. Even without a single official document, the eight sites follow several common themes that form a powerful ecological network.

1. Wildlife Corridors and "Dark Skies"

A top priority across these sites is the preservation of "dark corridors" to protect local bat populations, including the rare Greater and Lesser Horseshoe Bats.

• Bickwell Valley: Promotes "Dark Skies" initiatives to keep the Bickwell Brook transit route low-light.

• Manor Park: The owners have a "gentleman’s agreement" to minimise security lighting, preserving migration routes toward the River Sid.

• The Knowle: Deliberately maintains light levels below 0.5 lux near historic roosting buildings.

• Highfield Meadow & The Knapp: Manage thick hedgerows to act as dark buffers and foraging corridors.

2. Advanced Tree Stewardship

Through the coordination of the Sidmouth Civic Arboretum, mature trees across the cluster undergo "veteranisation" (or retrenchment pruning). This mimics natural aging to create vital niches for specialised fungi, wood-boring beetles, and bats. Deadwood is explicitly retained in the canopies at Manor Park, Bickwell Valley, and the Cemetery to support these species.

3. From Mowing to Meadows

There is a widespread shift away from uniform "amenity grassland" toward regimes that promote pollinators:

• Conservation Grazing: Highfield Meadow and Peasland Knapp use sheep or cattle to maintain varied grass heights.

• Reduced Mowing: The Knapp Nature Pond, Sidmouth Cemetery, and Knowle Park use tiered mowing or "don't mow yet" zones. This encourages rare wildflowers like Yellow Rattle to grow by suppressing dominant grasses.

4. The "Managed but not Manicured" Balance

A shared philosophy across the cluster is balancing public access with quiet conservation.

• Cues to Care: At The Knowle and the Cemetery, paths are kept tidy to show the area is intentional, while inner sections are allowed to rewild.

• Quiet Sanctuaries: Highfield Meadow is kept entirely closed to the public to provide a sanctuary from foot traffic, while The Knapp is restricted to "quiet recreation."