A SURVEY carried out on an under-threat three-acre wood has revealed just how diverse its fauna is.

The Save Bonds Meadow (SBM) group was set up by residents in Bovey Tracey who fear the land, owned by the National Trust and earmarked for development, will become housing.

SBM spokesperson Sally Morgan, is just one of many Bovey Tracey residents who live near to the town centre wood. She said: ‘The campaign to save the species-rich woodland at Bonds Meadow is still in action.

‘SBM has been gathering evidence during the last few months and we have had a desk study and a phase 1 habitat survey carried out as well as a tree audit and basic carbon audit.

‘We knew this land was special but our surveys now provide up to date evidence of this fact.’

The tree survey shows no fewer than 17 different species of mature tree including several large elm trees. These are fairly rare at this size as many succumb to Dutch Elm disease at an early age.

The survey showed 326 very large established trees, including 138 English oak trees and, quite unusually, yew and alder.

Along with regenerated trees and saplings the tally comes to more than 1,300 trees.

Not included in the count are the scrub, bramble and various other flora essential as a healthy habitat for the animals and insects that live there.

Calculations based on just the mature trees alone show the meadow sequesters 8.15 tonnes of carbon per year.

Sally said: ‘When you take into account the saplings, regeneration, bramble and scrub and the undisturbed soil, mulch and bog areas then we’re talking double and possibly even three times as much.’

Bequeathed to them in the 1970s, the National Trust has stated that the meadow was gifted to them so it could be sold to fund conservation work and access to the nearby Parke Estate, and any sale would help to secure Parke’s wildlife habitats for the future.

The land has been offered to Rule Five developers, who are currently developing the Challabrook estate on the edge of Bovey Tracey.

‘Nearly half of the UK’s biodiversity has gone since the industrial revolution.

‘We must do all we can to protect our environment and small oases such as the woodland at Bonds Meadow are increasingly important.

An SBM petition to save the meadow has gathered more than 5,000 signatures.

Sally said: ‘A family membership for the National Trust is £126 per year. It’s not unreasonable to assume that those 5,000 signatories represent a potential loss of more than £630,000 in membership fees. When you consider this then the selling out price of £300,000 for the land is not such a good deal for the National Trust.’

She added: ‘Land like this is also invaluable for biodiversity. Nearly half of the UK’s biodiversity has gone since the industrial revolution. Dozens of species are on the brink of extinction. Even the humble hedgehog is threatened.

‘Destroying this precious space for a handful of luxury, expensive houses in a terrible deal for us and our environment.’