ONE of the South Hams' most popular nature reserves is about to grow in size.

Around an extra seven acres of land has been bought by Devon Wildlife Trust to add to the existing 79 acre nature reserve of Andrew's Wood, near Loddiswell.

The purchase was made possible after the Trust secured generous support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and donations from supporters.

The wood is thought to boast the UK's largest colony of the rare flower, heath lobelia.

The new land is known locally as Wizaller Wood and is a mix of silver birch, oak, ash, hazel and willow. Along with hundreds of plants and animals the wood is home to bats, wildflowers and woodpeckers. 

The new wildlife haven will be looked after by Devon Wildlife Trust's Jackie Gage.

Jackie said: 'Along with local volunteers I've helped look after Andrew's Wood for the past seven years and in that time it's become one of my favourites of all the 49 Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserves.

'So I was thrilled when the news came that Wizaller Wood was coming our way. It will make a wonderful new extension to what is already a haven for local wildlife.'

Gordon Waterhouse, local naturalist, has been volunteering at the wood for a number of years.

He said: 'The extension has gone through. At last all of the dots have been dotted and t's have been crossed.

'The wood used to be owned by Colonel and Mrs Walker. Their son Andrew was interested in old buildings, when he was walking in the woods one time he discovered a huge pile of stones, close to where the new part of wood starts.

'Andrew gradually started moving stones and found the remains of a small farm house.

'It had two parts, one where the occupants lived and the other part where it is thought they kept cattle.

'Andrew joined the army in 1969 and when abroad he was killed in a freak road accident.

'His parents felt the need to move away from the area and released the wood.

'The top part of the wood, formerly known as Stanton Moor, was leased and then sold at a very reasonable price to the Devon Wildlife Trust on the condition that it was renamed Andrew's Wood.'

Visitors to Wizaller Wood are being welcomed by the Trust.

Like all of its nature reserves, it is free to enter and has a network of marked trails which, although muddy, make good winter walks. 

Jackie added: 'Visitors to Wizaller Wood will see that we've already been busy managing the place for wildlife. We've cleared invasive species such as rhododendron, created wildflower glades and coppiced some trees to encourage new tree growth. A new path has also been cut to join the reserve with the local network of footpaths, ensuring it becomes more easily accessible to visitors.'