Friends of Hillsborough

As part of the Finding Nature’s Footprints project the team have been supporting the work of the Friends of Hillsborough in Ilfracombe

You can find out more about the Friends of Hillsborough on their Facebook Page

Woodland

Local volunteers have assessed the woodlands on the east of Hillsborough using the Rapid Rainforest Assessment produced by Plantlife. This assessment looks at what species of tree are present in the canopy and understorey, the age profile of those trees, other habitat features, the presence of lichens and bryophytes, indicator species, ash dieback or non-native species, and the management of the woodland including grazing levels.   

The Hillsborough woodlands are recent regeneration where young sycamore dominates with the occasional ash and elder but with a good mosaic of closed and open canopy.  Some features of veteran trees such as large holes, dead limbs and a small range of lichens and bryophytes are present. However, grazing levels are very low, and there are high levels of ivy on trees.  

We found the woodland at Hillsborough to have a low score of -12 which suggests it the woodland does not support temperate rainforest lichens or bryophytes. More management is required to help it become more beneficial to wildlife through restructuring, adjusting grazing and controlling invasive species.   

Wildflowers

Volunteers work together to carry out a wildflower survey using the National Plant Monitoring Scheme methodology. This survey records the percentage cover of the different species within a 5×5 meter square plot as well as the level of grazing and vegetation height. This site will be re-visited to reassess the two plots to monitor any change.    

Work focused on the west side slope where the Friends of Hillsborough team have cleared away the bracken and scrub to restore the grassland. This has created open ground which has allowed wildflowers to colonise. There were 24 different species found in the two plots including spotted orchid, common dog violet, yellow rattle and common agrimony.   

Pollinators

Volunteers have carried out a survey looking at pollinator activity. Several species of bee, butterfly, and moth were recorded including red tailed bumblebees, white or buff tailed bumblebees, honeybees, common carder bees, meadow brown, large white butterfly, and silvery moth.   

We will continue to monitor and survey wildflowers, pollinators, woodland and wildlife on Hillsborough over the next few years.   .