Piles Copse
Piles Copse is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)[1][2] within Dartmoor National Park in Devon, England. It is located 5km north of the town of Ivybridge in the valley of the River Erme, north of a stream called Piles Brook. This area is protected because it contains one of the few examples of ancient upland woodlands on Dartmoor and contains a high diversity of moss species.
Piles Copse SSSI is adjacent to South Dartmoor SSSI, and so forms part of a wider area of nature protection.
Biology
[edit]The woodland is dominated by pedunculate oak. Woodland herbs include wood-sorrel. Amongst granite boulders, mosses form a covering mat (species here include Hypnum cuppressiforme, Plagiothecium undulatum and Dicranum scoparium). Moss species also include Dicranum flagellare [1] (genus Dicranum). [1]
Liverworts in this woodland include Jamesoniella autumnalis [2] and Harpanthus scutatus. Lichen species include Parmelia laevigata and Ochrolechia inversa.[1]
Archaeology
[edit]Scheduled monuments in this protected area include the remains of stone huts.[3]
Land ownership and management
[edit]Piles Copse SSSI is within the Harford Moor estate owned by the Howell family.[4][5] Scientists from University of Plymouth have investigated the regeneration of oak species at Piles Copse SSSI, using some areas where grazers are excluded, and found that natural regeneration has an important role to play, but can require exclusion of livestock where saplings (1-3 years old) have become established.[6] In 2013 the landowners developed a management plan for Piles Copse SSSI.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "SSSI detail". designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
- ^ "Protected Planet | Piles Copse". Protected Planet. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
- ^ "Heritage Gateway - Results". www.heritagegateway.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
- ^ "Piles Copse". Piles Copse. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
- ^ "Who owns Dartmoor?". Who owns England?. 2021-03-22. Retrieved 2025-06-15.
- ^ Murphy, Thomas R.; Hanley, Mick E.; Ellis, Jonathan S.; Lunt, Paul H. (2022). "Optimizing opportunities for oak woodland expansion into upland pastures". Ecological Solutions and Evidence. 3 (1): e12126. Bibcode:2022EcoSE...3E2126M. doi:10.1002/2688-8319.12126. ISSN 2688-8319.
- ^ Howell, John (December 2013). "Piles Copse and Higher Piles Management Plan" (PDF). Retrieved 23 June 2025.