A new East Devon country park that is already proving popular with local people has welcomed the Chief Executive of Natural England, Neil Hornby, to showcase how new green spaces can support growing communities while helping to protect some of Devon’s most important wildlife sites.
Neil Hornby visited Clyst Meadows on Thursday 29 October with senior Natural England colleagues to hear about the work of East Devon District Council and its partners to provide attractive alternatives for recreation and dog walking, helping to reduce additional pressure on protected habitats at the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths and Exe Estuary.
The 10-hectare Clyst Meadows provides accessible natural greenspace and forms part of a wider network designed to mitigate the recreational pressures associated with new housing across South East Devon. Although the site has only recently opened, it is already being well used. Visitors are coming from Cranbrook, Broadclyst, Honiton and Exeter as well as further afield. The site's 16-space car park is well used.
Council staff have received positive feedback from visitors, including local residents and Wild East Devon volunteers. The park is being used by dog walkers, Cranbrook Running Club and families, while its network of flat, surfaced paths is also proving popular with people with mobility issues.
Clyst Meadows will be managed to improve biodiversity and habitat value, including wetland habitat improvements, grazing of coastal grazing marsh, hedgerow management and orchard planting. The scheme is expected to achieve more than 10% Biodiversity Net Gain.
Neil Hornby, Chief Executive of Natural England, added:
“The South East Devon Habitat Regulations Partnership is a brilliant example of how we can deliver for both communities and nature. By providing high-quality, accessible green spaces like Clyst Meadows, people have more opportunities to spend time in nature and walk their dogs, while helping to reduce pressure on important wildlife sites such as the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths National Nature Reserve and Exe Estuary.”
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