The sand dunes of Northam Burrows are home to the water germander – found in only two other locations in England – and the sea stock, which only grows in a handful of other places.
The dunes are so important to these and a range of other plants that they are protected as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
However, the spread of thick vegetation in the area is threatening the survival of these rare plants.
In order to help them thrive, Torridge District Council and Natural England – the government’s conservation adviser – are to begin essential conservation work later this autumn.
Diggers will be used to carefully ‘scrape’ off a thin layer of vegetation, exposing bare sand across parts of the site in which sea stock and water germander can thrive.
The growth of the more vigorous vegetation will then be held in check with the help of grazing by sheep and horses.
The fen orchid has already become extinct from the Taw-Torridge dunes, but with the help of this “intensive care” plan it is hoped that the sea stock and water germander will avoid a similar fate.
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