Landscape Character Types
LCT 1F: Farmed Lowland Moorland & Culm Grassland
North Devon 'Ruby Red' cattle grazing Knowstone Outer Moor.
Summary description
This Landscape Character Type (LCT) is distributed across large areas of Torridge District, stretching into the south and south-eastern corner of North Devon. It covers the landscape's high open tracts of Culm grassland and 'moors' which sit on the poorly drained soils and sandstone ridges of the Culm Measures geological series.
Link to Devon Character Areas
DCA 36: High Torridge Culm Plateau
DCA 64: Upper Tamar Tributary Valleys
DCA 67: Witheridge and Rackenford Moor
Key characteristics
- Gently undulating landform, in some places of a plateau-like character.
- Underlying geology of Culm Measures - mudstones and siltstones with bands of sandstone creating gently rolling topography. Areas where sandstone dominates are of a higher, plateau character.
- Landscape crossed by frequent streams, springs, wet ditches and small ponds fringed by wet woodland, rush pasture and meadows.
- Open areas of Culm grassland and patches of heath surrounded by a regular pattern of medium-scale post-medieval and modern fields, with some earlier fields of medieval origin with curving boundaries.
- Square-cut beech hedgebanks with rushy verges bordering wet ditches. Patches of bracken and gorse, as well as wind-sculpted beech trees, give an exposed feel to higher locations. Areas on the fringes of more intensive farming include mixed species hedges with flower and fern-rich banks.
- Pastoral character including rough cattle/sheep grazing on expanses of Culm grassland and heath. More intensive farming, including occasional arable fields, poultry units and localised pony paddocks on the fringes of the 'moors'.
- Large blocks of conifer plantation (particularly in Torridge), as well as frequent patches of beech/oak woodland, secondary woodland on plantation edges and willow carr associated with streams.
- Expanses of herb-rich Culm grassland (within the Culm Grasslands Special Area of Conservation) supporting rich wildlife. Large tracts of wet heath, rich flushes, valley mires, fen and marshy grasslands found elsewhere; many designated as County Wildlife Sites.
- Frequent clusters of nationally important Bronze Age barrows on elevated sites, disused quarries and the remains of a medieval castle.
- Variety of traditional building styles, particularly white/cream cob render with slate. Villages often include white and cream modern bungalows on the outskirts; several are Conservation Areas.
- Sparse settlement pattern with scattered farmsteads, clustered hamlets and nucleated villages often occupying ridgetop positions.
- Straight roads crossing along ridgelines, occasionally running through tunnels created by mature beech trees particularly on the fringes of settlements. Distinctive white fingerposts at road crossing points.
- Wind turbines visually influence parts of the landscape, notably a large wind farm in North Devon and several small wind farm developments in Torridge.
- Golf courses, fishing lakes, caravan parks, equestrian centres, disused airfields, industrial land uses and main roads dilute perceptions of tranquillity and remoteness locally.
- Elevation affording long views across the landscape and beyond - e.g. to the contrasting lush green fields of the surrounding farmland and the high moorland landscapes of Dartmoor and Exmoor.
Culm grassland at Dunsdon National Nature Reserve
Valued landscape attributes
- Distinctive Culm grassland habitats supporting rich birdlife.
- Traditional management regimes (including grazing by Ruby Red North Devon cattle - the area is often referred to as 'Ruby Red country').
- Small field patterns reinforce historic character; fields enclosed by thick Devon banks and surrounded by open grazing land.
- Isolated farms and farmsteads strengthen rural agricultural character.
- High levels of tranquillity and remoteness.
View towards Great Claw Moor conifer plantation.
Management guidelines
Protect
Conserve remaining areas of internationally important Culm grassland habitat, resisting any further development which would be detrimental to their biodiversity value.
Conserve the streams, springs, ditches and associated wetland habitats which form an important part of the habitat mosaic within the farmed landscape.
Protect the farming and land management traditions of the area, continuing to support local farmers to graze the Culm grasslands and lowland moors as integral parts of their farming system.
Manage
Manage Culm grassland and unimproved grassland areas, including through managed burning and locally appropriate levels of grazing; encourage farmers and commoners to manage 'marginal' land as an integral part of the wider farming regime.
Manage the area's existing plantations for sustainable timber production and wildlife interest, creating new green links to surrounding semi-natural habitats as part of local nature recovery networks and moving towards mixed species composition wherever possible.
Manage woodland using traditional techniques (e.g. coppicing) for age and species diversity.
Manage the landscape's distinctive beech hedges with species-rich banks and ditches which form important habitat networks across the farmed landscape.
Plan
Utilise the new Environmental Land Management scheme (ELMs) and other initiatives such as Local Nature Recovery Strategies (as they emerge) to manage and enhance the wildlife interest of the farmed landscape.
Expand and link fragmented Culm grassland habitats through the restoration and creation new habitat to increase biodiversity value, resilience to climate change and to contribute to wider nature recovery networks.
Re-create new areas of heath and Culm grassland as part of future plans to re-structure the area's conifer plantations. Where plantations continue to be productive, promote further edge planting of locally distinctive beech to assimilate the plantations into the landscape.
Restore lost or degraded lengths of hedgerow to strengthen ecological connectivity, reduce agricultural run-off and provide natural flood management whilst respecting the characteristic local field patterns. Follow guidelines published by Devon Hedge Group.
Respond to the UK-wide policy drive for increased woodland planting following Devon Local Nature Partnership's 'Right Place, Right Tree' principles. Encourage the establishment of new broadleaved woods and copses using native species, as well as mixed plantations to help screen recent development/incongruous features, without masking distinctive views or affecting areas of archaeological interest.
LCT 1F Farmed Lowland Moorland & Culm Grassland (PDF) [1MB]
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