Core Hill Wood

Sometimes, what appears to be a simple walk in the woods turns into a discovery. You set out for a quiet stroll and find yourself in a place unexpectedly rich with history, rare wildlife, and stories etched into the landscape. Core Hill Wood, a 10.4-hectare site just north of Sidmouth, is one of these surprising places. Managed by the Woodland Trust and nestled within the East Devon National Landscape (formerly AONB), it may seem like just another local woodland, but it is a vital piece of a much larger, interconnected natural world.

Coombe Wood Farm is a National Trust-owned property near Salcombe Regis in Sidmouth, beautifully situated within the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Instead of taking the land out of production, this project champions a model of "nature-friendly farming," where agriculture and ecology work hand in hand. The entire approach is built on a scientific foundation; extensive soil sampling is used to determine precisely "what gets planted where," ensuring that every decision is data-driven.

This living mosaic is woven from three distinct threads, creating a complex tapestry of life. This unique richness is no accident; it is written in the very bones of the land. A stubborn cap of clay-with-flints lying over ancient greensand dictates where each habitat can flourish. This geology gives rise to patches of species-rich, acidic lowland heathland—a UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat where heather, bell heather, and bilberry thrive. It also allows for secondary woodland, where a mix of ash, beech, birch, goat willow, oak, and sycamore have grown up over time, their damp floor supporting carpets of bluebells that indicate a long history of continuous tree cover. Weaving through it all are the ancient boundary banks, earthen mounds from a forgotten time that now support many of the wood's most important trees, acting as living corridors between one habitat and the next.

The current management plan covers the period from 2024 to 2029. The Woodland Trust manages this 10.40-hectare (25.7-acre) site with a focus on restoring native broadleaved woodland and species-rich lowland heathland.

Key Management Objectives (2024–2029)

• Heathland Restoration: In partnership with the RSPB, the Trust is working to restore approximately 50% of specific compartments back to high-quality lowland heathland. This involves a combination of cutting and grazing, often coordinated with the management of the adjacent Fire Beacon Hill.

• Ancient & Veteran Trees: A major priority is the protection of veteran trees, particularly those along old enclosure banks. The plan aims to recruit "future veterans" by managing light levels to allow naturally regenerated trees to develop open-grown structures.

• Public Access: The wood is managed for "quiet, informal recreation." The Trust maintains a network of paths and ensures safety through regular tree health checks and site risk assessments.

• Biodiversity Mosaic: Outside of the heathland, the site is managed as native broadleaved high forest with varied age structures and an accumulation of deadwood to support local wildlife.

Collaborative Context

Core Hill Wood is part of a larger ecological landscape in the East Devon National Landscape (formerly AONB). While the Woodland Trust owns this specific holding, they coordinate management decisions with several neighbours:

• RSPB: Who manage much of the surrounding hill.

• Forestry England: Who manage the nearby Core Copse.

• Local Councils: Including Sidmouth Town Council and East Devon District Council.

This patchwork of habitats creates a sanctuary for creatures who are specialists in their field, thriving in the precise conditions Core Hill provides. This blend of woodland, heath, and scrubland is a haven for several rare and protected species.

• Rare Birds: The area is a critical breeding ground for the nocturnal nightjar, the UK Red-listed yellowhammer, and the elusive Dartford warbler—a species that has come back from the brink of extinction in the UK thanks to the restoration of the very heathland found here.

• Reptiles: A healthy population of reptiles finds shelter here, including the adder (a UK BAP priority species), grass snake, common lizard, and slow-worm.

Insects and Fungi: The wood is home to rare invertebrates like the Grayling and Small-heath butterflies. On the veteran beech trees, specialist fungi such as the Willow bracket and Southern bracket can be found.

The guardians of this wood are its veteran trees, many of which stand watch on the ancient boundary banks we encountered earlier—the skeletal remains of a forgotten, more open landscape. In recognition of their importance, 22 trees at Core Hill are officially mapped on the Ancient Tree Inventory. While many are magnificent beeches, this diverse cohort also includes Scot’s pine, a goat willow, a rowan, and a surprising variety of oaks, from pedunculate and sessile to the more unusual Turkey and Lucombe oaks and their hybrids.

To ensure this unique habitat continues for centuries, the Woodland Trust employs a forward-thinking conservation technique called "veteranisation." This isn't damage; it's a carefully guided process of creating life-giving decay. Foresters act like sculptors, creating the hollows and deadwood in younger trees that would naturally take centuries to form, fast-tracking the creation of five-star homes for bats, rare beetles, and specialist fungi. This work is a living investment, ensuring Core Hill Wood has its own ancient giants for generations to come.

The successful management of Core Hill Wood is not an isolated effort. The Woodland Trust works in close partnership with a network of organizations dedicated to preserving the wider landscape. These key partners include the RSPB, East Devon District Council, Sidmouth Town Council, Forestry England, and the East Devon National Landscape.

A prime example of this collaboration is the Firebeacon Grazing Project. This initiative uses cattle fitted with modern NoFence collars to roam and graze across the area. Their crucial work helps maintain and restore the precious lowland heath, preventing it from reverting to scrub and woodland and ensuring its unique character endures. This joint effort ensures that the entire ecological complex, from Fire Beacon Hill to Harpford Common, is managed as one cohesive and resilient whole.

Core Hill Wood is a powerful reminder that even a small, local woodland can be a place of immense importance, where natural history, rare wildlife, and forward-thinking conservation intersect. The next time you find yourself on a quiet woodland path, look closer. The gnarled bark of an old tree or the sudden flush of a rare bird is not just a feature of the present, but a legacy of the past and a promise for the future—a promise kept alive by the careful hands that tend to these hidden treasures.