The council has agreed that the older part of Sidmouth Cemetery, known as Area 3, should be managed as a wildlife area.
As the EDDC Management Plan 2021-25 says: “This area to be left is to become wild, with several closely-mown pathways cutting through the rewilding for access.”
An amendment was later put together, namely the Sidmouth cemetery plan 2024 with the same idea, but with a proviso: “This area should be left to become an area for wildlife improvement, with several closely mown pathways cut (and collected) through and around the wildlife improvement area for safe access of pedestrians… 2024 will not see the cutting and collection of this area due to capacity.”
This does raise questions about how pronouncements of policy by the council are not matched by delivery. Here’s the recently published Wildlife Improvement Policy proposal from the District Council which does indeed sound impressive with very good intentions – but we have to ask how exactly it’s going to happen.
It just so happens that the Environment Committee (16 Mar 2026) of Sidmouth Town Council will be meeting shortly – and, as per the agenda, a request has been made by the VGS to members of the Cttee to “consider looking into how EDDC intends to properly implement its environment policies – in particular its Wildlife Improvement Policy proposal.”
Returning to the example of actual work on the ground, much of the work of wildlife improvement has been left to the volunteers of the Cherishing Sidmouth Cemeteries working party, who have been doing their best to manage this area.
An autumn/winter job is clearing brambles at the Cemetery – which also allows for previously hidden graves to at last see the light of day and for other plants to be given space to breath and grow – although it’s important to leave some bramble.
Here’s a photo from this week’s session up at Sidmouth Cemetery, taken by volunteer Tim O’Carroll – and as he says: “We have now made quite good progress with the bramble reduction in the Wildlife Improvement Area and have probably achieved our target for this Winter. The remaining patches are deliberately being left for the benefit of wildlife as such a lot of species benefit from their presence.”
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The management of this area also means allowing things to naturally develop and be left to do their own thing – such as this profusion of honey fungus on a decaying log as photographed by Tim – but which would not be allowed in any of our gardens!
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And so all sorts of things should be given some light and space – including this Red Admiral emerging to enjoy some sun and alighting on the newly blossoming Blackthorn:
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With thanks to the CSC team for doing their bit to help in the management of Sidmouth Cemetery’s wildlife!
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