Conservation
History
The
site’s importance was recognised as early as 1834 when Sand Crocus Romulea columnae was discovered here, until
recently, its sole British mainland site.
Dawlish Warren was also noteworthy during the 19th century
for turning up exotic bird-life e.g.
Britain’s only record of Great Black-headed Gull Larus ichthyaetus in 1859 but, nature conservation then was a concept
way off in the future. Through work by BTO and DBWPS members on its bird-life
and Wallace on its flora, the huge significance of the wildlife value here in a
national context has been uncovered since the 1930s. The area now boasts a large array of protective legislation
including conservation status as a SSSI, SPA, a RAMSAR-site and a
candidate-SAC. The first warden was appointed when Teignbridge District Council
began maintaining the site as a Local Nature Reserve in 1979; the Visitor
Centre was built in 1985 and the area was declared a National Nature Reserve
fifteen years later.
The
Inner warren has been part of a golf course for over 100 years, along with
other links courses the regular cutting and lack of fertilisers has produced
ideal conditions for botanic life, here including the previously mentioned Sand
Crocus – the majority of the population is to found on fairways. Because of the
course’s conservation importance the ownership was passed to the Devon Wildlife
Trust, the land holding also includes the mudflats and saltmarsh and is not
included within the NNR.
In
recent decades levels of tourists numbering nearly 850000 annually, has
increased the potential for conflict between the needs of the wildlife and the
wishes of visitors. Owing to this
pressure, further developments began in the 1990s with the appointment of an
assistant warden and in 1994/5 a Winter Bird Warden who’s unique task it was to
protect roosting waders from human disturbance over the high tide period. This
indicates the level of stature given to the reserve’s wildlife, particularly as
knowledge of Dawlish Warren’s conservation importance continued to expand with
further discoveries e.g. Petalwort Petalophylum ralfsii and Pennyroyal Mentha pulegium in 1997/98.
Several
major management issues have been tackled since the reserve’s inception. In the
early 1980’s the areas of fixed and mobile dunes were densely covered with the
invasive alien Tree Lupin Lupinus arboreus. This was (and still is)
removed by hand pulling but the infestation by a North American aphid in 1983
helped to reduce the problem to more manageable levels. The species (and the
aphid), still survive here and it provides secure nest sites for several bird
species.
However
the large dieback of lupins caused its own problems with an increase in areas
of open sand. Over the years several large areas of dune have had to be fenced
to protect from continuing erosion. Once fenced these areas can then be planted
with Marram Grass Ammophila arenaria, this species is a main building
block of any dune system, the plants are able to withstand the salt and sea
spray and they trap the blown sand and stabilise the dune. Repeated burial by
sand just stimulates further growth. The young plants can however be damaged by
trampling hence the need for fenced areas.
Other
alien plants have also caused problems on the reserve with several patches of Rosa
rugosa being controlled each year. Recently the rapid spread of Michaelmas
daisy Aster sp. has swamped areas of dune slack shading out many other
plants.
The
SSSI is listed as being of unfavourable status by English Nature, one of the
reasons why is because of the unnatural dune ridge (supported by gabions), but
another area of concern is the site’s apparent drying out. This has been
occurring in Greenland Lake for decades since it was a tidal creek. The process
of succession is heading towards climax vegetation with the areas of sallows Salix
sp. being replaced by Alder Alnus glutinosa, Silver Birch Betula
pendula and even Turkey Oak Quercus cerris. These areas of woodland
are now being managed with some areas being allowed to coppice back, others
being removed. This will only aid the process however and more work on
maintaining the site’s groundwater is required.
The
arrival of Viral Haemorrhagic Disease (VHD – an unwanted first for the UK!) in
the reserve’s Rabbit population has had a dramatic effect on the vegetation
with many areas becoming invaded by gorse Ulex europaeus, rushes and
coarse grasses such as Yorkshire Fog Holcus lanatus, because of the loss
of grazing. There are currently plans to try and reinstate this level of
grazing with Shetland Ponies. Hopefully this will restore areas of dune
grassland and help prevent the increasing scrub encroachment.
The
reserve has also become ever more important when one reflects upon the
situation of the surrounding countryside where wildlife continues to disappear
at an alarming rate. However, the large, varied and often incompatible number
of ‘interest- and user-groups’ upon Dawlish Warren and its environs will
forever ensure that Teignbridge wardens will have a continued struggle
implementing essential conservation measures.