Biodiversity

Living creatures have evolved into many different forms that live together and share resources. The number that have been named is up to 1.75 million but Is it estimated that there are around 10 million species.

The south-west-coast Atlantic woodlands are among the least disturbed of our semi-natural habitats. They contain native oak, willow, ash and hazel, pruned by the wind, dwarfed by the poor soil, and clothed in ferns, mosses and lichens thanks to the clean air.

Some endangered species are the early gentian Gentianella anglica, the lichen Heterodermia isidiophora. The English Heritage are recreating hectares of lost vegetation. The aim is to restore a habitat which has been lost for about 100 years.

early gentian Gentianella anglica	lichen Heterodermia isidiophora