Braunton Burrows
Encyclopedia
Braunton Burrows is a sand dune system on the North Devon
coast. Braunton Burrows is a prime British sand dune site, the largest sand dune system (psammosere
) in England
. It is particularly important ecologically because it includes the complete succession
al range of dune plant communities, with over 400 vascular plant
species. The short turf communities are very rich in lichen
s and herbs, and the dune slacks are also rich. The many rare plants and animals include 14 with UK Biodiversity Action Plans. For example, this is one of only two sites in the UK for the Amber Sandbowl Snail Catinella arenaria
, which is found on the wet dune slacks.
station was opened on Braunton Burrows in 1848, although its crew always came from the established Appledore Lifeboat Station
on the other side of the estuary. It was closed in 1918 as it was difficult to find men and horses to launch the boat following World War I
.
It is used, particularly by local people, for a range of leisure activities, particularly dog-walking, from three large car parks adjacent to the site. There is a long tradition of scientific research, particularly botanical. Tourism is an important use of the area in summer. The more isolated parts of the Burrows are noted for naturism.
All good training ground had been claimed by the British and so Thompson had no choice but to accept the Atlantic coast near Braunton. The perimeter of the land he needed did in fact stretch south from Morthoe Station to Braunton, and the River Caen to the Taw Torridge Estuary. Every acre was needed for exercise and for rehearsals using live ammunition, explosives, tanks, artillery and air support – all of which became features of the US Assault Training Centre.
The beaches here were ideal for amphibious exercises, despite the fierce Atlantic surf, and the nearby sands were soon found to be identical to Omaha in every respect – including sand quality, beach gradient and tidal range. Anyone who has seen Omaha beach will instantly recognise an uncanny resemblance to Woolacombe and Saunton.
Thompson was originally tasked with teaching the troops how to neutralise the enemy beach defences and then fight their way inland, although the second part of his mission was later relocated to Slapton beach in South Devon.
Ranges for all weapons were required in order to help the troops practise and construction of such ranges and other aids had to be carried out quickly, as the first units arrived in North Devon on 1 September 1943. Replica landing craft made from concrete can still be found at the southern end of the Burrows.
As winter approached, a permanent camp was needed; most troops had been accommodated in tents until then. 505 Nissen huts were erected to house 4250 men.
Some of the narrow country lanes were made one-way for ease of use and where no metalled roads existed temporary tracks were laid. One such track is the old ferry way, which extended from the south end of Sandy Lane across the back of the dunes to the White House near Crow Point. This road was widened and straightened and exists today as ‘the American Road’.
The site is currently leased by the Ministry of Defence
from the Christie Devon Estates Trust. The area is closed for 10 days per year for military training. The fact that it is so difficult to navigate makes it ideal for land-based exercises, although the sandy conditions are useful to all disciplines. The RAF sometimes use Saunton Sands to practice STOL beach landing and take off with C-130 Hercules
.
Part of the site was de-declared as an NNR in 1996 because of a disagreement over grazing management practices between the landowner Christie Devon Estates Trust and English Nature
. This de-declaration was a unique occurrence.
Braunton Burrows forms the core area of North Devon's Biosphere Reserve.
. The methods of scrub management used have become a point of contention between the various parties involved with the site.
During the 1970s invasion of coarse grasses were managed largely by rabbit
grazing. The spread of myxomatosis
resulted in rabbit
population decline and consequent encroachment of species rich turf by scrub species such as privet
Ligustrum vulgare and heather Calluna vulgaris. Decline in species diversity
was exacerbated through the introduction of sea buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides by the military. This attempt at dune stabilisation was implemented after preparations for the Normandy landings caused widespread erosion
. Deep rooted species such as bramble
, hawthorn
and willow
were also able to flourish and resulted in several sallow carr communities These species were maintained and species rich turf later established through a combination of management techniques.
The burning of deep rooted species often made the soil more fertile but led to the spread of coarse grasses. These grasses were later managed by mowing in combination with grazing by soay sheep
and cattle.
Grazing was viewed by the Christies Estates Trust as exacerbating erosion
and hence damaging to species diversity
. The trust therefore opposed the introduction of sheep and cattle to the site. However English Nature
felt that this turnover was erosive but nevertheless was less invasive than mowing. English Nature felt the turnover of soil increased species diversity
and with the use of soay sheep
, maintained a desirable balance to ecosystems. It was this disagreement that was the main factor which led to the de-designation of the site as a National Nature Reserve
in 1996.
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
coast. Braunton Burrows is a prime British sand dune site, the largest sand dune system (psammosere
Psammosere
A psammosere is a seral community, an ecological succession that began life on newly exposed coastal sand. Most common psammoseres are sand dune systems....
) in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is particularly important ecologically because it includes the complete succession
Ecological succession
Ecological succession, is the phenomenon or process by which a community progressively transforms itself until a stable community is formed. It is a fundamental concept in ecology, and refers to more or less predictable and orderly changes in the composition or structure of an ecological community...
al range of dune plant communities, with over 400 vascular plant
Vascular plant
Vascular plants are those plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. Vascular plants include the clubmosses, Equisetum, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms...
species. The short turf communities are very rich in lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s and herbs, and the dune slacks are also rich. The many rare plants and animals include 14 with UK Biodiversity Action Plans. For example, this is one of only two sites in the UK for the Amber Sandbowl Snail Catinella arenaria
Catinella arenaria
The sandbowl snail, Catinella arenaria, also known as Quickella arenaria, is a small species of small air-breathing land snail, a terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Succineidae, the amber snails.-Habitat:...
, which is found on the wet dune slacks.
Civilian use
A lifeboatLifeboat (rescue)
A rescue lifeboat is a boat rescue craft which is used to attend a vessel in distress, or its survivors, to rescue crewmen and passengers. It can be hand pulled, sail powered or powered by an engine...
station was opened on Braunton Burrows in 1848, although its crew always came from the established Appledore Lifeboat Station
Appledore Lifeboat Station
Appledore Lifeboat Station is the base for Royal National Lifeboat Institution search and rescue operations at Appledore, Devon in the United Kingdom. The first lifeboat was stationed in the town in 1825 and the present station was opened in 2001...
on the other side of the estuary. It was closed in 1918 as it was difficult to find men and horses to launch the boat following World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
It is used, particularly by local people, for a range of leisure activities, particularly dog-walking, from three large car parks adjacent to the site. There is a long tradition of scientific research, particularly botanical. Tourism is an important use of the area in summer. The more isolated parts of the Burrows are noted for naturism.
Military use
Braunton Burrows played a vital role during World War II. In 1943 Lieutenant Colonel Paul W. Thompson was tasked with training the Americans for their assault on the heavily-defended Normandy beaches.All good training ground had been claimed by the British and so Thompson had no choice but to accept the Atlantic coast near Braunton. The perimeter of the land he needed did in fact stretch south from Morthoe Station to Braunton, and the River Caen to the Taw Torridge Estuary. Every acre was needed for exercise and for rehearsals using live ammunition, explosives, tanks, artillery and air support – all of which became features of the US Assault Training Centre.
The beaches here were ideal for amphibious exercises, despite the fierce Atlantic surf, and the nearby sands were soon found to be identical to Omaha in every respect – including sand quality, beach gradient and tidal range. Anyone who has seen Omaha beach will instantly recognise an uncanny resemblance to Woolacombe and Saunton.
Thompson was originally tasked with teaching the troops how to neutralise the enemy beach defences and then fight their way inland, although the second part of his mission was later relocated to Slapton beach in South Devon.
Ranges for all weapons were required in order to help the troops practise and construction of such ranges and other aids had to be carried out quickly, as the first units arrived in North Devon on 1 September 1943. Replica landing craft made from concrete can still be found at the southern end of the Burrows.
As winter approached, a permanent camp was needed; most troops had been accommodated in tents until then. 505 Nissen huts were erected to house 4250 men.
Some of the narrow country lanes were made one-way for ease of use and where no metalled roads existed temporary tracks were laid. One such track is the old ferry way, which extended from the south end of Sandy Lane across the back of the dunes to the White House near Crow Point. This road was widened and straightened and exists today as ‘the American Road’.
The site is currently leased by the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
from the Christie Devon Estates Trust. The area is closed for 10 days per year for military training. The fact that it is so difficult to navigate makes it ideal for land-based exercises, although the sandy conditions are useful to all disciplines. The RAF sometimes use Saunton Sands to practice STOL beach landing and take off with C-130 Hercules
C-130 Hercules
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is a four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft designed and built originally by Lockheed, now Lockheed Martin. Capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings, the C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport...
.
Designations
- UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Biosphere ReserveBiosphere reserveThe Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:... - National Nature ReserveNational Nature ReserveFor details of National nature reserves in the United Kingdom see:*National Nature Reserves in England*National Nature Reserves in Northern Ireland*National Nature Reserves in Scotland*National Nature Reserves in Wales...
(part) - SSSI
- RamsarRamsar ConventionThe Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
site - Special Area of ConservationSpecial Area of ConservationA Special Area of Conservation is defined in the European Union's Habitats Directive , also known as the Directive on the Conservation of Natural Habitats and of Wild Fauna and Flora...
- North Devon AONBNorth Devon AONBThe North Devon Coast was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in September 1959. The AONB contributes to a family of protected landscapes in the Southwest of England and a total of 38% of the region is classified by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature as Category...
- North Devon Heritage Coast
Part of the site was de-declared as an NNR in 1996 because of a disagreement over grazing management practices between the landowner Christie Devon Estates Trust and English Nature
English Nature
English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006...
. This de-declaration was a unique occurrence.
Braunton Burrows forms the core area of North Devon's Biosphere Reserve.
Scrub invasion
Scrub invasion is managed to maintain a state of semi-equilibrium and prevent succession to a climax communityClimax community
In ecology, a climax community, or climatic climax community, is a biological community of plants and animals which, through the process of ecological succession — the development of vegetation in an area over time — has reached a steady state. This equilibrium occurs because the climax community...
. The methods of scrub management used have become a point of contention between the various parties involved with the site.
During the 1970s invasion of coarse grasses were managed largely by rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
grazing. The spread of myxomatosis
Myxomatosis
Myxomatosis is a disease that affects rabbits and is caused by the Myxoma virus. It was first observed in Uruguay in laboratory rabbits in the late 19th century. It was introduced into Australia in 1950 in an attempt to control the rabbit population...
resulted in rabbit
Rabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
population decline and consequent encroachment of species rich turf by scrub species such as privet
Privet
Privet was originally the name for the European semi-evergreen shrub Ligustrum vulgare, and later also for the more reliably evergreen Ligustrum ovalifolium , used extensively for privacy hedging. It is often suggested that the name privet is related to private, but the OED states that there is no...
Ligustrum vulgare and heather Calluna vulgaris. Decline in species diversity
Species diversity
Species diversity is an index that incorporates the number of species in an area and also their relative abundance. It is a more comprehensive value than species richness....
was exacerbated through the introduction of sea buckthorn Hippophae rhamnoides by the military. This attempt at dune stabilisation was implemented after preparations for the Normandy landings caused widespread erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
. Deep rooted species such as bramble
Bramble
Brambles are thorny plants of the genus Rubus, in the rose family . Bramble fruit is the fruit of any such plant, including the blackberry and raspberry. The word comes from Germanic *bram-bezi, whence also German Brombeere , Dutch Braam and French framboise...
, hawthorn
Crataegus
Crataegus , commonly called hawthorn or thornapple, is a large genus of shrubs and trees in the rose family, Rosaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia and North America. The name hawthorn was originally applied to the species native to northern Europe,...
and willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
were also able to flourish and resulted in several sallow carr communities These species were maintained and species rich turf later established through a combination of management techniques.
Soay sheep
The Soay sheep is a primitive breed of domestic sheep descended from a population of feral sheep on the island of Soay in the St. Kilda Archipelago, about from the Western Isles of Scotland...
and cattle.
Grazing was viewed by the Christies Estates Trust as exacerbating erosion
Erosion
Erosion is when materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It only works by hydraulic actions and transport of solids in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere...
and hence damaging to species diversity
Species diversity
Species diversity is an index that incorporates the number of species in an area and also their relative abundance. It is a more comprehensive value than species richness....
. The trust therefore opposed the introduction of sheep and cattle to the site. However English Nature
English Nature
English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006...
felt that this turnover was erosive but nevertheless was less invasive than mowing. English Nature felt the turnover of soil increased species diversity
Species diversity
Species diversity is an index that incorporates the number of species in an area and also their relative abundance. It is a more comprehensive value than species richness....
and with the use of soay sheep
Soay sheep
The Soay sheep is a primitive breed of domestic sheep descended from a population of feral sheep on the island of Soay in the St. Kilda Archipelago, about from the Western Isles of Scotland...
, maintained a desirable balance to ecosystems. It was this disagreement that was the main factor which led to the de-designation of the site as a National Nature Reserve
National Nature Reserve
For details of National nature reserves in the United Kingdom see:*National Nature Reserves in England*National Nature Reserves in Northern Ireland*National Nature Reserves in Scotland*National Nature Reserves in Wales...
in 1996.
External links
- North Devon's Biosphere Reserve Website
- Explore Braunton
- English Nature SSSI designation
- UK Biosphere Reserves Review 1998
- North Devon AONB website
- A short documentary on Braunton Burrows' WWII significance
- BCTV handbook on vegetation changes
- The Taw and Torridge Estuary forum
- UNESCO MAB biosphere reserves directory