Brownfield Biodiversity

It is easy to assume that derelict land or urban parks have little ecological value. However, the data from our Sidmouth survey tells a completely different story. While brownfield sites made up only 30% of the sites surveyed, they hosted a staggering 64.1% of all recorded species.

A Biodiversity Powerhouse

Brownfield sites are not just "filler" landscapes; they are primary hubs for local wildlife. The diversity across different species groups is remarkable:

• Mammals: An incredible 85.7% of all mammal species in the survey were found on brownfield sites.

• Birds: Nearly 76.4% of our local birds are particularly dependent on these habitats.

• Flora: Over 69% of floral species and 64% of non-flowering plants make use of these sites.

• Fungi & Lichens: More than 60% of recorded species were found here.

The Insect Paradox: Only 48.6% of recorded insect species were found on these sites. This is likely because many insects require the long, undisturbed grass of meadows—a feature often missing from neatly managed municipal parks and gardens.

Habitat Overlap: Where Wild Meets Urban

Our brownfield sites are "mosaics" because they contain elements of many other habitats.

• Hedgerows & Water: Thanks to sites like The Byes, Dunscombe, and Bickwell, we see high percentages of hedgerow species (80%) and water margin plants (72.2%) within the brownfield category.

• Woodland & Scrub: Surprisingly, 79.2% of broad-leaved woodland species were recorded on these brownfield plots.

• Garden Escapes: About 61.4% of plants associated with cultivated land are found here, showing how garden plants successfully "escape" into the wider Sidmouth landscape.

Top Sites for Nature Spotting

If you want to see this biodiversity in action, these are the top-performing sites from our survey:

Rank Site Number of Species Recorded

1 The Byes 175

2 Upper Byes 171

3 Dunscombe 146

4 Sidmouth Cemetery 143

5 Lockyer Observatory 134

The high counts at The Byes reflect the vital conservation work by volunteers and the Sid Vale Association. Even sites with lower counts, like Jacob's Ladder (61 species), likely hold more secrets yet to be discovered through future surveys.