Paignton Zoo Environmental Park
Institution Code: PAIG
BGCI Member: Yes
About the Paignton Zoo Environmental Park
TAXA 2,990 (1,600 spp., 5.138 accessions, 20,000 plants)
Main Address:
Paignton Zoo Environmental Park
South West Environmerntal Parks Ltd
Totnes Road
Paignton
Devon TQ4 7EU United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 01803 697500
Fax: +44 01803 523457
URL: www.paigntonzoo.org.uk
Primary Email: info@paigntonzoo.org.uk
Restoring coastal habitats in southwest England
The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust is the parent organisation for Paignton Zoo Environmental Park which includes a botanic garden. WWCT undertakes a number of ecological restoration projects including grassland restoration in the WWCT’s two reserves adjacent to the Zoo, Primley Park and Clennon Valley. We have also recently acquired an area of agricultural grazing land adjacent to Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve (also owned by the WWCT) which we are restoring to a more natural grassland to increase habitat diversity and benefit a wide range of species, potentially the site may be used in future for the reintroduction of the large blue butterfly
Reintroduction of Strapwort Corrigiola litoralis
A species recovery programme for strapwort Corrigiola litoralis is being undertaken at Slapton Ley National Nature Reserve. This is a critically endangered plant found nowhere else in the UK and the project involves direct input from the botanical section of the organisation in the form of propagated plants for introduction. In 2015 the WWCT and partners the National Trust carried out a trial reintroduction of strapwort to Loe Pool in Cornwall where it was previously recorded but is now absent. This reintroduction was successful and was followed by a larger scale reintroduction in 2016. We are continuing to monitor this population to assess requirements for further supplementation and management of the site.
Please contact Amy Plowman for more information about this restoration project.
Southern marsh orchid and other flowers at Primley Meadow
Mature flowering Strapwort Corrigiola litoralis