Exmoor Associates land is managed with an emphasis on conservation and the environment. Land owned by Exmoor Associates, both along and around the railway formations, provides an important habitat for a wide variety of wild and plant life. Our river banks provide hunting ground for otters, and bats often circle the trees. From insects and small mammals through to a wide variety of deciduous trees in our woods and wild flowers in the lower meadows, Exmoor Associates is keen to see the continued care and protection of their environment.

During 2008 we received notable support from the Environment Agency at our Collard Bridge site, in the planting of new native deciduous woodland and also the seeding of a more diverse wild flower mix in our meadow.

Exmoor Associates is keen to enhance biodiversity on our land and aims to optimize the potential for wildlife by means of a ‘soft’ approach to land management. This approach includes practices such as hedge laying, coppicing and dead hedging, creation of log piles, maintenance of Devon banks and the management of dominant plant growth such as Japanese Knotweed. The use of methods such as burning and offsite disposal are only used where other methods are not possible or deemed inappropriate. Exmoor Associates also puts in measures to reduce fly tipping, and we have regular working parties to remove litter from river banks, hedges and fields.

Conservation and land management work is carried out on site mostly by volunteers, also with occasional use of outside local contractors. Areas of woodland are regularly inspected and carefully maintained by a local tree specialist.

Environmental and conservation matters concerning land managed by Exmoor Associates are dealt with in accordance with this conservation policy and in consultation with local Wildlife Trust members.