Woodland
With approximately 150 acres of ancient woodland at Backswood, we have the potential to make a significant difference to Devon’s woodland wildlife biodiversity. The woodland was clear-felled before the First World War and since then tracks have been installed. A small amount of felling was carried out in the early nineties. Woodland needs to be constantly and sympathetically managed to achieve the best result for the trees and to benefit flora and fauna. Over the coming 5 years we will be removing deceased trees and clearing areas to allow light onto the woodland floor. With less trees, the remainder will thrive and the areas beneath the canopy will allow new saplings, shrubs and wild flowers to re-establish. With rejuvenated sources of pollen and nectar, insect life can return to provide the building blocks for robust food chains.
Woodland Track
The woodland is currently under a Higher tier management regime to replant areas of ash affected by Ash dieback. There were extensive areas of ash stands within Backs Wood and during 2020/2021, diseased trees were felled and timber was abstracted. At the same time an area of Spruce was cleared having reached maturity. All these areas were re-stocked with over 2000 new saplings comprising of a mixture of hardwood species. These will provide a diverse mix of trees to protect against the effects of future climate change.
Hazel coppicing is to be carried out across all areas of the woodland to revitalise the wildlife benefits this plant provides. This programme will hopefully help to re-establish dormice numbers that must have thrived in the wood whilst the woodland was being actively managed in the past.
As you walk around the woodland you will notice that we have built and put up a number of wildlife boxes to provide homes for songbirds, bats, owls and dormice. Every living creature needs a home, food and a mate. We hope to help provide the first two and nature will take care of the third!
The woodland area is surveyed from time to time to note changes to plant, butterfly, bird and bat populations. Over the coming years, these surveys will provide an indication of how our management changes are benefitting the flora and fauna. This will indicate how successful our management changes have been in supporting and encouraging flora and fauna.
Mother and calf
Spring Bluebells
Backswood supports a fluctuating population of red deer, which use the cover of the woodland to bring up their calves every year. During the autumn months, stags come to the wood from surrounding areas and rutting stands are a hive of activity, with dominant males controlling their groups of hinds. The roars of the stags can be heard both day and night. We also have an ever-increasing population of roe deer which tend to live on the peripheries of the wood. Deer numbers are controlled to prevent damage to woodland trees and to keep the population healthy.