Welcome

Welcome to the East Devon Pebblebed Heaths.

Without careful management, heathlands would deteriorate into scrub, and this valuable habitat with its rare animal and plant species would be lost. The East Devon Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust is a charity which employs full time wardens to look after the heaths and implement their Heathland Management Plan, developed in conjunction with Natural England. The warden’s work throughout the year maintaining the heathland by activities such as scrub and bracken clearance, cutting firebreaks, maintaining paths for walkers and supervising selective grazing by cattle. Conservation volunteers also play an important part in the maintenance programme.

The considerable cost of the ongoing maintenance work is met by the Trust and Estate, helped in part by funds and grants from the DEFRA Higher Level Stewardship.

Currently, the cost of providing car parks for public access is met by cross-funding from other areas of the Estate. However, this cost is rising as more people use the area for recreation. Surface erosion is a problem and the most hardwearing surface wet tarmac cannot be laid on this protected area. The Estate takes legal action against those who attempt to dump litter or cars.