Natural Environment
Okehampton Deer Park encompasses a varied and rich biodiversity. It has 3 Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a local Nature Reserve (LNR), is on the northern fringes of Dartmoor National Park and provides areas for quiet and more active enjoyment.
Farming
Farming is integral to the landscape of Dartmoor and is evident over several millennia in the Okehampton Deer Park. Prior to its creation as a deer park there is evidence of farming on an area south and west of the present Okehampton Army Training Camp. Eight farmsteads (generally one or more longhouses and accompanying barns) are scattered throughout the extent of the field system. Occupation was likely here until around 1400.
Today the farmers in and around the area of Okehampton Deer park are crucial to maintaining the landscape and economy of the area. They work with Dartmoor National Park Authority, Natural England and the Ministry of Defence to maintain the biodiversity, access and quality of landscape through various agreements.
Geology and Quarrying
http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/lookingafter/laf-naturalenv/laf-ecologywildlife/laf-geology/laf-meldon-booklet
Dartmoor National Park Authority produced a booklet about the Meldon area, "Exploring a Dartmoor Valley, the Meldon beneath our feet", which explains the areas dramatic history and the central role played by the rocks benerath your feet in this spectacular area. The booklet will enhance your enjoyment and appreciation of this landscape and its unique heritage and inquisitive visitors will soon discover, half-hidden within encroaching nature, quarries and ruins, which hint at a much less pastural past!
To find out more about the creation of the Meldon Quarries please refer to the National Park geology factsheet
http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/learningabout/lab-printableresources/lab-factsheetshome/lab-geologylandforms
Okehampton Park Flush SSSI
http://www.dartmoor-npa.gov.uk/sheet_2c-b.pdf
Situated on wet, sloping fields totalling around 12 acres, this SSSI contains the most extensive single area known in Devon of a type of wetland vegetation found predominantly in southwestern Britain. It is also notable for unusually large stands of Bog Asphodel and for the presence of several uncommon plant and insect species. In areas where water flows over the surface for much of the year there is an extensive and well developed Bog Pondweed and abundant Marsh St-John’s Wort. Many-stemmed Spike-rush and Marsh Lousewort are also frequent.
Amongst the invertebrate fauna are the Keeled Skimmer dragonfly and Five-spot Burnet moth, both local species found predominantly in south-western Britain.
Old Town park (LNR)
http://www.westdevon.gov.uk/upload/public/attachments/1000/old%20town%20park%20lnr%20leaflet.pdf
Designated a Local Nature Reserve (LNR) in 2005 Old Town Park flanks the southern bank of the West Okement River, lies within the northern boundary of the Dartmoor National Park and is wholly within the area originally part of Okehampton deer park.
A great deal of woodland and wildlife conservation work has taken place. The open nature of this woodland is managed to reflect the character of park woodland and the herd of miniature ponies which graze here along with wild roe deer, help to maintain the grassland which exists beneath the sparse open canopy of the old trees.
Common species which may be found in the Okehampton Deer Park:
Blubell
Meldon Woods are commonly known as Bluebell woods due to the spectacle that the flowers produce every Spring. Although bluebells are relatively common in Britain, the UK holds the vast majority of the world’s population, as this plant is restricted to the Atlantic edge of Europe. It is therefore (nearly) a quintessentially British plant. They provide a spectacular scenery within Dartmoor’s wooded valleys. In woodlands where bluebells grow in thick carpets, such as Meldon, this is an indicator that these are ancient woodlands that are managed in a traditional manner, for example coppice management
Wood Anemone
Normally found in ancient woodlands where it flowers in early April completing its life cycle before the woodland canopy closes over. The seed is rarely fertile and the plant spreads by the growth of its root structure - six feet per 100 years!
Oaktrees
Oak dominates many sites in Okehampton Deer Park, with many trees being 150 to 200 years old. A host of attractive ferns, mosses and lichens grow on their boughs and trunks, supporting a wide variety of insects and the birds which feed upon them.
Meadow Brown butterfly
Probably the most abundant of the grassland butterflies, its larva feeds on grasses, including Cocksfoot grass. Widespread, but cannot survive heavy fertilisation and improvement of grasslands. Can be seen flying in poor weather even in the rain.
Speckled Wood butterfly
Can be seen from March to October in lanes, woodlands and hedgerows. Each butterfly only lives for a few weeks at most but there are several generations over a Summer. The caterpillar feeds on common grasses and may occupy a new woodland from the time of planting to maturity. Males bask in patches of sunlight within hedgerows and woodlands.
Salmon
The West okement is an important salmon spawning river and every autumn you can see the spectacle of teh adult salmon returning from the sea to swim upriver. Salmon require very clean watercourses and the water fresh from the blanket bog on Dartmoor still provides good conditions for this declining species.
Pied Flycatcher
A migrant species not usually arriving until May, this is a bird of deciduous woodlands, often preferring an open, or even grazed woodland with little growth beneath the trees. This species needs tree holes for nesting and where these are scarce will readily accept nest boxes.
Dormouse
Dormice are small, nocturnal mammals which are bright golden in colour and with a thick furry tail and large black eyes. Hazel, honeysuckle, bramble and oak are particularly important in providing food as they need a continuous availability of foods throughout spring and summer. Okehampton Deer Park is particularly good as they can colonise a range of habitats such as hedgebanks, oak woods,wet woodlands, Rhos pastures and plantation fringes. Whilst you are unlikely to see one, you can tell when dormice have been about from hazelnuts. When eating them, a dormouse makes a neat, circular hole in the nutshell.
Otter
If you are lucky you might see an otter in one of the watercourses in the area. Otters nearly went extinct in Britain due to badly polluted watercourses, but their numbers have recovered now that the water quality of Britain’s rivers.