Coombe Wood Farm

Executive Summary

Coombe Wood Farm, a National Trust property situated near Salcombe Regis in the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, serves as a primary case study for integrating productive agriculture with ambitious ecological restoration. Facing a national decline in biodiversity—highlighted by a 19% average decrease in species abundance since 1970—the farm is implementing a "nature-friendly farming" model. This approach utilizes data-driven soil analysis, conservation grazing, and the creation of strategic wildlife corridors to reverse habitat fragmentation. Key initiatives include the planting of 4,500 trees, the restoration of hedgerows, and the establishment of a lowland meadow the size of five football pitches. By acting as a critical "wildlife bridge" between coastal cliffs and inland hills, Coombe Wood Farm demonstrates how targeted investment and community involvement can transform the working countryside into a resilient, biodiverse ecosystem.

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Strategic Framework: The Lawton Principles and "Heaths to Sea"

The restoration of Coombe Wood Farm is guided by the nationally recognised Lawton Principles, which advocate for habitats that are "more, bigger, better, and joined." While many conservation efforts focus on size and quality, this project specifically prioritises connectivity to combat habitat fragmentation.

The "Wildlife Bridge"

Coombe Wood Farm serves as the central link in the "Heaths to Sea" project, connecting coastal cliff habitats with inland hill environments. The strategy involves:

• Linear Woodlands: Establishing new woodland corridors equivalent to two football pitches in size. These are planted with native, fruit-rich, and blossom-heavy shrubs to facilitate the safe dispersal of species such as dormice and bats.

• Hedgerow Reinstatement: Reconnecting isolated pockets of nature to provide nesting sites for birds and hibernation spots for small mammals like hedgehogs.

• Natural Regeneration: A former Christmas tree plantation (felled in 2022/23) is being allowed to naturally regenerate into a mosaic of scrub and wildflowers rather than being replanted for commercial timber.

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Nature-Friendly Farming Methodologies

The project rejects the notion that land must be taken out of production to support nature. Instead, it utilises scientific data and traditional agricultural practices to achieve ecological goals.

Conservation Grazing

Small numbers of cattle act as "ecological engineers." Their grazing and trampling prevent the formation of dense grass mats, allowing wildflowers and fine grasses to emerge. This diversity supports a broader range of pollinators, invertebrates, reptiles, and amphibians.

Support for Farmland Birds

The farm specifically manages fields to support "indicator species," most notably the Cirl Bunting. This regionally threatened bird requires a specific mosaic of:

• Scrub: For nesting.

• Winter Stubble: Provided by leaving select fields fallow over winter months to ensure a consistent food source.

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Biodiversity and Habitat Creation Data

The following table summarises the physical interventions and biodiversity milestones associated with the Coombe Wood Farm project:

Category Description/Metric

Tree Planting 4,500 trees established under the FiPL scheme.

Hedgerows 300 meters of hedgerows reinstated.

Lowland Meadow Creation of a new flower-rich meadow (approx. 5 football pitches in size).

Avian Infrastructure 7 large boxes: 3 for Barn Owls, 2 for Kestrels, and 2 for Tawny Owls/Jackdaws.

Grassland Improvement Reseeding of improved pastures with wildflower mixes (initiated in 2025).

Regeneration Area Felled Christmas tree plantation transitioning to scrub/wildflower mosaic.

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Community Engagement and Policy Alignment

The transformation of Coombe Wood Farm is a collaborative effort involving local stakeholders and national policy frameworks.

• Volunteer Contributions: Local community groups and volunteers are essential to the project's labour-intensive tasks, including tree and hedge planting, wildlife surveying, and footpath maintenance.

• Policy Support: Funding is provided by the Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) scheme, administered by Defra. This highlights the project’s role as a practical case study for evolving UK agricultural policies that reward landowners for environmental stewardship.

• Scientifically Driven Decisions: Extensive soil sampling is conducted across the property to ensure that planting and management strategies are precisely tailored to the land's chemical and biological composition.

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Conclusion and Future Outlook

Coombe Wood Farm represents a shift toward a holistic view of the British countryside. While 2024/25 surveys indicate that many fields are currently poor in floral diversity, the introduction of wildflower mixes and the felling of commercial plantations mark the beginning of a significant ecological transition. The project posits that if this model of "wildlife superhighways" and nature-friendly grazing were adopted more broadly, it could provide a viable solution to the national crisis of species decline while maintaining the agricultural heritage of the landscape. As the National Trust describes, the ultimate aim is to "restore the health of the countryside to bring back the wildlife."

Coombe Wood Farm, a National Trust-owned property near Salcombe Regis in Sidmouth, is currently generating significant interest online due to its high-profile ecological restoration.

Because it has transitioned into a prominent, data-driven "nature-friendly farming" model, it is featured across two main specialized platforms:

1. The National Trust (nationaltrust.org.uk)

The National Trust features Coombe Wood Farm on a dedicated project portal titled "Nature-Friendly Farming at Coombe Wood."

• Project Timeline & Updates: The site hosts a visual timeline tracking the estate's transition. It details early laboratory soil sampling (which scientifically determined "what gets planted where"), its success in securing Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) funding, and the subsequent practical work completed by rangers and volunteers.

• Conservation Goals: The page outlines how they maintain a working agricultural farm while prioritizing wildlife—specifically by reducing grazing density, leaving winter fields fallow, and creating five football pitches' worth of nectar-rich lowland wildflower meadows to support local pollinators and insects.

• Public Access: It also updates visitors on infrastructure improvements, such as replacing old stiles with accessible pedestrian gates along the public footpaths running through the valley.

2. Sidmouth Nature (sidmouth-nature.uk)

This local site provides an extensive, independent ecological breakdown of the farm, categorizing it as one of the area's vital "Wild Places."

• Habitat Connectivity: The profile focuses heavily on the farm's spatial role within the regional "Heaths to Sea" project. It explains how the site applies the Lawton Principles of conservation by acting as a crucial "wildlife bridge" or corridor connecting coastal cliffs to inland hills.

• Specific Ecological Initiatives: The site details the clear-felling of an old, abandoned commercial Christmas tree plantation in 2022/23, noting that the space is now being left to naturally regenerate into a diverse mosaic of scrub and wildflowers.

• Species Tracking: It highlights the creation of linear woodland corridors designed for hazel dormice and bats, the planting of mixed winter seed plots (like quinoa, millet, and linseed) to feed declining farmland birds like Cirl Buntings, and the installation of seven specialized raptor boxes explicitly facing the rough grasslands to support local Barn Owls and Kestrels..