The Doward is a tree-covered, double-peaked hill in the south of Herefordshire, overlooking the River Wye. It lies within the Lower Wye AONB and is particularly noted for its flora and fauna, with areas within the landscape designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest and even includes some endemic species found nowhere else.
New book details the diverse wildlife of the Doward
View over the Wye from Great Doward (c) HWT
Naturalist Ian Draycott is the author of The Biodiversity of the Doward and Symond’s Yat West – a booklet detailing wildlife from flowers and fungi to bryophytes and birds.
Ian Draycott with new publication The Biodiversity of the Doward and Symond's Yat West
Ian Draycott lives on the Doward and has become an expert on its wildlife, recording his sightings of flora and fauna for over 10 years. His discoveries have included national rarities such as the Downland Villa, Villa cingulata, a scarce species of bee-fly first identified in Herefordshire in 2018 and, this summer, another rare fly, Crysosompsis auratus, only recorded before a few times in the whole country.
Ian has always been keen to share his passion with others and has given many guided walks around the nature reserves of the Doward. Now he has combined his own knowledge with records from other visiting naturalists into a brilliant small book so that others can learn about this fascinating landscape and the species which live within it.
Ian says:
“The Doward is a wonderful landscape but many visitors are unaware of how diverse and special its wildlife really is. I hope that this publication helps to spread the word about the importance of this place but also highlights how precious and fragile it is.”
The book is currently on sale through Herefordshire Wildlife Trust's shops in Hereford, Ledbury and Queenswood Country Park as well as online.