Wembury Barton: Woodland Design for a Coastal, Community-Funded Future
Designed for biodiversity, heritage, and people, this flagship woodland project planted 104,000 trees in a sensitive coastal AONB—funded by PSDCF and delivered with organic, herbicide-free methods.
Client: National Trust
Location: Wembury, South East Devon
Services Provided
Woodland Design and Landscape Assessment
GIS Mapping and Archaeological Integration
Grant Application Support
Contractor Selection and Implementation Oversight
The Challenge
This high-profile woodland creation project was the first major scheme funded by the Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest (PSDCF). Located in a prominent coastal AONB, adjacent to an SSSI and containing buried archaeology, the site posed multiple planning and design challenges. It was also critical that the scheme remained organic and nature-friendly, while supporting farming and community use.
The Solution
We brought together landscape and woodland expertise to guide the design. A Landscape Character Assessment helped shape a scheme sympathetic to the setting, while GIS-mapped archaeological data from geophysics surveys informed site layout and minimised risk.
The final UKFS-compliant design included public access routes, wood pasture, hedgerows, and open parkland. A 3D flyover was commissioned to communicate the project vision. Our team led the grant application process and supported contractor selection and planting strategy.
The Result
The first planting phase (Winter 2023/24) established 33,000 trees, rising to 104,000 by January 2025. The woodland was planted using enviro-mounding, avoiding herbicide use, and tailored for both wildlife and visitor experience.
The result is a flagship project for the Community Forest, demonstrating how farming, biodiversity, and heritage can be integrated in one exceptional landscape design.