Draft Plans

Clinton Devon Estates is leading the Heaths to Sea Landscape Recovery project in collaboration with tenant farmers, Devon Wildlife Trust, Bicton College, and RSPB.

Landscape Recovery Projects were introduced by Defra to support landowners and land managers in taking an ambitious, large-scale approach to nature restoration, while also addressing broader priorities such as sustainable food production.

Our draft proposals for the Heaths to Sea Landscape Recovery Project were unveiled at a public forum held at Bicton College in July 2025.

Summary

Covering 4,666 hectares across the lower River Otter catchment, the Heaths to Sea project aims to create a thriving, diverse landscape that supports nature, climate resilience, sustainable farming, and public access.

Proposals include the creation of up to 100 hectares of productive woodland with climate-resilient conifer and broadleaf species. An additional 185 hectares will be transformed into wood pasture and scrub mosaic habitats, grazed by traditional livestock breeds. Selective thinning and species diversification will enhance existing woodlands, creating a more natural woodland structure and enhancing biodiversity.

Another important aim is to reconnect the river to its floodplain through the development of 200 hectares of wetland, including ponds, wet woodland, and grazing marsh. Buffer zones along field edges and tributaries will provide vital wildlife corridors.

In fertile agricultural areas, the project will support farmers in continuing to grow food while supporting nature through sustainable, nature-friendly agricultural and conservation practices, alongside their existing farm model.

Our vision

We believe nature recovery, productive agriculture, and land use for public benefit can and must co-exist. Our vision is for this diverse landscape to be nature-rich and ecologically healthy whilst also supporting food production, net zero, timber and access needs.

Our aim is to create a nature-rich landscape that is accessible to all and resilient to the impacts of climate change. By working together, we will support East Devon’s ambitions for achieving net-zero emissions while maintaining sustainable food production. Through this collaborative effort, we also intend to drive a stronger, greener, and more sustainable local economy.

Our approach

Below we have outlined our proposals for the Heaths to Sea Landscape Recovery project. The exhibition posters displayed at the Public Forum can be found here.

With 60% of the UK’s food produced domestically and increasing pressures on global food production, we are committed to maintaining food productivity.

We aim to balance sustainable farming with nature recovery through both land sharing and land sparing approaches. Land sharing integrates wildlife-friendly practices into farmland, while land sparing focuses farming on productive areas, allowing other land to be actively managed for nature restoration.

Hedgerow restoration, buffer strips alongside fields and waterways, and low-intensity grazing will be combined with setting aside less productive land for nature. Other interventions include the creation and management of meadows and orchards.

Heaths to Sea will work closely with agricultural tenants to create tailored farm plans that align with each farm’s needs while supporting biodiversity, improving water quality and management, and enhancing soil health.

Across the valley, these bespoke interventions will contribute to a wider, joined-up approach to farming that is both economically viable and environmentally responsible.

Clinton Devon manages 697 hectares of woodland within the Heaths to Sea project area, the majority managed for timber production, wildlife, and public access.

We are moving away from ‘clear-felling’ towards ‘continuous cover’, keeping mature trees and thinning selectively. We are also encouraging natural regeneration and planting a diverse mix of species and ages to create a more natural woodland structure and enhance biodiversity.

Through Heaths to Sea, we will support the sustainable management of productive woodland, including climate-resilient conifer and broadleaf species. The plan is to create up to 100 ha of new mixed woodlands, with 6 ha of broadleaf buffer, and up to 185 ha of wood pasture and scrub mosaic habitat. Up to 50 ha of wet woodland will be established in floodplain areas to improve water quality, reduce runoff, and provide shade. We will also manage invasive animal and plant species, including protecting young trees from damage caused by deer and grey squirrels.

The River Otter has been restricted from its natural flow, deepening channels and increasing erosion, and undermining banks and cliffs. Drainage of the floodplain for agriculture has reduced water storage, worsening flood and drought risks. With climate change bringing warmer, wetter conditions, reconnecting the river to its floodplain is vital.

Heaths to Sea aims to create up to 200 hectares of wetland by diverting the Colaton Brook into historic paleochannels, supporting a rich variety of species and micro-habitats. These include ponds, scrapes (shallow standing water), wet woodland, grazing marsh, wet meadows, and habitat suitable for beavers. Strategically placed chutes and backwaters will help disperse water across the floodplain, allowing it to drain into the land. Where it poses no risk to local communities or critical infrastructure, the River Otter will also be allowed to meander naturally. These actions will improve biodiversity, carbon storage, and water quality, while protecting farmland and communities from flooding.

The five brooks that flow from the Pebblebed Heaths into the River Otter are important habitats – They provide fresh water for farmed fields, help nutrients to cycle through the natural environment, and support a diverse range of species.

Along the brooks and streams, Heaths to Sea will establish 20-metre-wide buffer zones made up of a mosaic of rough grassland, scrub, wet woodland, and wetland habitats. These buffers will act as wildlife corridors, helping a wide range of species, including beavers, to move safely across the landscape. The vegetation will also help filter agricultural runoff thereby improving water quality.

Strategic use of Natural Flood Management techniques along these brooks could help prevent future flooding in nearby villages while also enriching the habitat with greater species diversity.

The Pebblebed Heaths are home to rare wildlife, including nightjars, Dartford warblers, southern damselfly, and silver-studded blue butterflies, which depend on the specific habitat conditions. As lowland heath becomes increasingly scarce across Europe, ongoing management is vital to prevent reversion to scrub and eventually woodland.

Heaths to Sea will increase grazing on the heaths, with a focus on traditional conservation grazing, setting up perimeter fencing and the necessary infrastructure to keep cattle and visitors safe. We also aim to secure funding to provide long-term support for the Pebblebed Heaths rangers and management team.

In partnership with the Pebblebed Heaths Conservation Trust, the project will also engage visitors and provide educational resources to raise awareness, support conservation, and reduce the impact of recreation on sensitive habitats.

Visit the Pebblebed Heaths website

Archaeological evidence shows human occupation in the lower Otter Valley dating back to the Neolithic era. To assess the potential impact of land use change, an archaeology and heritage assessment was carried out across the project area. This identified six sites of potentially high historical significance that could be researched or preserved through the Heaths to Sea project. Aerial photography and LiDAR also revealed several other heritage features, some new to the Historic Environment Record.

Heaths to Sea will assess all fields subject to landscape change, investigate newly identified features, and, where possible, remove areas from cultivation where heritage assets are present. On Otterton Hill, we plan to enhance and highlight the rare medieval strip field features. We also aim to develop resources – and where possible, access – to help the public learn about and experience these heritage features.

Our draft plans will be submitted to Defra in December 2025. If approved, implementation will begin in summer 2026 and continue for at least 20 years.

At each stage of the project, the Heaths to Sea team will continue to work closely with tenant farmers, partners and local communities to balance the needs of farming, nature and people. The article Rising to the challenge: restoring landscapes for nature and people explores some of the challenges.

Exhibition Posters

Download Posters: Heaths to Sea proposed approaches to land management
What, why, where, how and who of the Heaths to Sea Landscape Recovery Project
Government legislation for nature recovery and biodiversity restoration. Heaths to Sea project vision.
Draft proposed deliverables for the Heaths to Sea Landscape Recovery Project
Heaths to Sea's draft proposed plans for working with farmers and land managers, providing bespoke sustainable farm plans
Heaths to Sea's draft proposed plans for woodland creation
Heaths to Sea's draft proposed plans for wetland habitat and woodland corridor on the lower Otter floodplain
Heaths to Sea's draft proposed plans for wetland habitat creation on brooks and streams
Heaths to Sea's draft proposed plans for working with and supporting the Pebblebed Heaths National Nature Reserve
Heaths to Sea's draft proposed plans for preserving heritage assets in the project area