DEVON COMMUNITY SPIRIT. Grants of up to £500 available for Devon community wildlife projects

Independent charity Devon Communities Together (DCT) has announced the launch of the second round of a Community Wildlife Grant scheme. The first round was so successful that funders Devon Environment Foundation have doubled the pot, providing £10,000 for community organisations to contribute even more towards Devon’s wildlife.

The programme has been developed by the Devon Local Nature Partnership (DLNP) to provide small grants of up to £500 to community wildlife projects.

The aim of the grant scheme is to provide an easy way for community groups to access small amounts of funding to kickstart their groups and initiatives, as well as benefit from advice, equipment, and other resources.

Amanda Keetley, Executive Director, Devon Environment Foundation said, “DEF was delighted by how many community wildlife projects were able to start-up or expand last year as a result of the new Wild About Devon scheme. We’re excited to be able to double the amount of funding this year to encourage even more positive action for nature in Devon.”

“This is a great opportunity for communities to get together and support the wildlife in their local area,” said Rod Birtles, Project Manager at DCT. “This could be by creating or restoring a wildlife space or through monitoring and education. Projects could take place in gardens, parks, green spaces, churchyards, orchards, ponds and ditches, buildings, and more. We’re excited to support communities in Devon to provide lots of long-term benefits for wildlife.”

In the previous round, 27 community organisations used the funding to create 15 new wildlife groups, restore neglected habitats and create new ones, and set up monitoring of local wildlife.

Applications are open to parish and town councils, community groups, and community partnerships that wish to fund initiatives that will benefit local wildlife. This includes funding a new idea, continuing an existing project, or starting a new group.

Guidance for applicants may be found on the website: https://www.devoncommunities.org.uk/projects/wild-about-devon-community-wildlife-grant-scheme-2023

The scheme is being managed by Devon Communities Together and has been funded by Devon Environment Foundation, DCT and Devon County Council (DCC), as part of their shared commitment to help tackle the ecological emergency.

Email: info@devoncommunities.org.uk

Phone: 01392 248919

Website: www.devoncommunities.org.uk

 

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ABOUT DEVON COMMUNITIES TOGETHER & DEVON ENVIRONMENT FOUNDATION>>>>>>

Charity offers free trees to good homes

Free trees are part of the offer to visitors at a series of special tree events taking place across Devon.

The Saving Devon's Treescapes project is marking the beginning of National Tree Week on Saturday 26 November with no less than four simultaneous tree give-aways, known as 'tree hubs'. Each begins at 10am and continues until all trees are given away!

The venues for each event are:

• Devon Wildlife Trust's Meeth Quarry nature reserve (main car park), near Hatherleigh, EX20 3ER
• Village hall, Buckland-in-the-Moor, Dartmoor, TQ13 7HN
• Orchard House, Pyworthy, Holsworthy, Devon, EX22 6SW
• South Brent Old School Community Centre, Totnes Road, South Brent, Devon, TQ10 9BP

The biggest of the events is taking place at Devon Wildlife Trust's Meeth Quarry nature reserve. Entry is free and open to all. As well as being able to pick up a sapling to plant at home, visitors will also be able to join a guided walk where they'll learn how to identify common trees and talk to a woodland creation adviser from the Woodland Trust about what support is available if they want to plant more trees.

Staff and volunteers will also lead tours of the Meeth Quarry tree nursery which is helping Saving Devon's Treescapes achieve its mission of planting half a million trees in Devon by 2025. The stunning work of local landscape photographer, Robert Darch will also be on display.

The events at Buckland-in-the-Moor, Pyworthy and South Brent will distribute trees only.

Devon Wildlife Trust's Rosie Cotgreave is the project lead for Saving Devon's Treescapes. Rosie says:

"These are our first tree hub events of what will be a busy winter. Our mission is to replace trees lost across Devon to the terrible scourge of ash dieback disease. 

Ash dieback is having a devastating impact on our landscape which is why it's vital that people are able to plant the right trees in the right place to ensure we have healthy and resilient treescapes in future years.

At each event our staff and volunteers will be giving away sapling trees of Devon species such as oak, hazel, rowan and crab apple, with a maximum of five trees per family group or individual. Every tree will come with an easy to follow guide to its planting, protection and aftercare. Our stock of trees will be limited to 350 trees at each event, so I'd urge people to get to the venues early."

The Woodland Trust has generously donated trees for the tree hub events. The charity's partnership manager, Eleanor Lewis says:

"The Woodland Trust is really pleased to be working in partnership with Devon Wildlife Trust, together we can have a bigger impact. We need more trees across our landscape. This means replacing not only the trees lost to ash dieback but also the woods and trees lost over the past centuries. These new trees will start to reconnect the county's fragmented woodland and provide important habitats for our wildlife, as well as acting to combat climate change. If you have space for a tree, please come along and get involved." 

Saving Devon Treescapes is planning a series of free tree hub events around Devon throughout the winter. Other dates and venues include Brixham (Tuesday 29 November), Starcross (Sunday 11 December), Slapton (Saturday 7 January), Kingsbridge (Saturday 14 January). People are urged to check the Devon Wildlife Trust website for a full list and for more details www.devonwildlifetrust.org/events

Saving Devon's Treescapes is led by Devon Wildlife Trust on behalf of the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum. It's a partnership project supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, One Tree Planted as well as other funders.

More on the work of Saving Devon's Treescapes project https://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/saving-devons-treescapes

Saving Devon Treescapes' Rosie Cotgreave (Photo copyright Devon Wildlife Trust)

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Devon Wildlife Trust is the county's leading environmental charity, with more than 37,000 members. The charity manages 60 nature reserves across Devon, including a range of beautiful landscapes such as woodlands, meadows, wetlands and heaths. Devon Wildlife Trust relies on charitable donations, grants and the generous support of its members and the general public to raise more than £5million every year.

Money raised is spent maintaining our work for wildlife conservation and education in Devon, for present and future generations. More at www.devonwildlifetrust.org

The Woodland Trust is the largest woodland conservation charity in the UK. It has over 500,000 supporters. It wants to see a UK rich in native woods and trees for people and wildlife.

The Trust has three key aims:

• protect ancient woodland, which is rare, unique and irreplaceable
• restoration of damaged ancient woodland, bringing precious pieces of our natural history back to life
• Plant native trees and woods with the aim of creating resilient landscapes for people and wildlife.

Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 29,000 hectares. Access to its woods is free so everyone can benefit from woods and trees. 

North Devon UNESCO Biosphere launches Nature Recovery Declaration and Plan

The Biosphere has launched an ambitious new Nature Recovery Plan as our contribution to tackling the ecological emergency here in northern Devon, aligning with the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan and the Prime Minister’s pledge for 30% of the UK land to be protected by 2030.

 

Join individuals, organisations, councils and businesses across the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere in signing our Nature Recovery Declaration and commit to tackling the ecological emergency through your local actions. Tap here to find out more and sign the Declaration

To promote the launch, we expect to welcome a special visitor to the area. Sacha Dench, Ambassador for the UN’s Convention on Migratory Species, is flying a 3000+ mile circumnavigation of the UK in a wind and green electricity powered paramotor. On her journey, she is stopping in northern Devon to officially launch the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve’s Nature Recovery Declaration and Plan. We are expecting her to pass through the area later this month, where she will sign the Declaration herself and speak to the Biosphere team about the importance of nature’s recovery.

Why do we need to act?

Despite great efforts from many organisations, land managers and individuals across northern Devon since the whole area achieved UNESCO status more than 20 years ago, with a few encouraging exceptions nature continues to decline – a trend that began centuries ago but has accelerated since the 1960s. Today our wildlife is a shadow of its former glory and our natural systems are ceasing to function. Iconic species like salmon, breeding lapwings, skylarks, cuckoos, house martins, many insects and wildflower species are in perilous decline – and our rivers are failing national standards. An ambitious approach to focus everyone’s actions onto agreed priorities is needed - and that is what this plan aims to achieve.

The plan’s Vision is that by 2030, nature is recovering across northern Devon. There is more wildlife-rich habitat for us all to enjoy - covering 30% of the land area – in our fields and woods, on the coast, along our rivers and on the moors. Wildlife has the space it needs to flourish. Thriving farming and forestry are helping nature to recover right across the landscape. Communities, councils and businesses are putting nature back into our towns and villages. Ambitious projects have helped bring back icons like beaver, pine marten, chough, white-tailed eagle and osprey. Our quality of life, the economy and our response to climate change are stronger for it. More is required, but we are proud to be playing our part in tackling the global ecologicalemergency.

Why should I sign the Declaration?

“If we are to turn the tide for nature’s recovery, everyone in northern Devon needs to engage through their choices and actions - all of us as consumers and by helping nature to recover where we live and work, and especially farmers and land managers who can do most to help nature recover across the landscape. We can all make a difference. It’s time for urgent and transformative local action.” Mike Moser, Chair of the Biosphere Nature Improvement Group

We hope that many individuals, organisations and businesses across the Biosphere will sign this Declaration committing to helping nature’s recovery and adding to the growing support for tackling the ecological emergency.

Tap here to sign the Declaration and read the draft 

Biosphere Nature Recovery Plan 

We welcome your feedback on the plan (by 15 August 2021) 

which can be sent to biosphere-mailbox@devon.gov.uk

Visit North Devon Biosphere website to Sign the Declaration & read the draft Biosphere Nature Recovery Plan 

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 North Devon Biosphere

Finally, please help us to spread the word and encourage people to sign up to the Declaration! @northdevonbiosphere.

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Animal believed to be extinct for 150 years found living in Devon

An animal that has only been recorded once in the UK before and was thought to be extinct has been found alive and well living on a Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserve. 

The fly, Rhaphium pectinatum, was last recorded on 19 July 1868 when the renowned Victorian entomologist George Verrall caught a male and female at Richmond in Surrey. In the decades since it was presumed that the fly was extinct, but now, nearly 150 years later it has been spotted again, this time at Devon Wildlife Trust's Old Sludge beds nature reserve, near Exeter. The remarkable discovery was made by expert naturalist Rob Wolton who is a member of the Devon Fly Group and the Dipterists Forum which specialises in the study of flies.

Rob said: 'I took a recent trip to Devon Wildlife Trust's Old Sludge Beds nature reserve on the outskirts of Exeter specifically to look for flies. Imagine my surprise when I examined my catch that evening to find it included a fly that was presumed extinct in Britain, not having been seen for 147 years! Definitely one to add to the list of Devon specialities.'

Little is known about the handsome, metallic green coloured fly, apart from that it is part of the family Dolichopidiae, a group which is known as long-legged flies. Most members of the family live in tropical areas of the world. Rob explained: '

The only other record of the fly was found near Richmond in London in 1868. Nothing is known about its biology, but it seems that it may like brackish (salty) conditions like those found at the Old Sludge Beds, and may even be associated with the extensive tidal reed beds nearby at the head of the Exe Estuary. Finding the fly here demonstrates the importance of the work the Devon Wildlife Trust does looking after these unusual and special habitats. 'Flies don't always have the best press, but Rob was quick to point out the critical part they play in all our lives:

'To most people, the only good fly is a dead one! Only a tiny proportion of the flies in Britain are pests, while many are important for pollination and for ensuring efficient recycling of the nutrients in dead plant material. And they are an important part of the food web - many of our birds rely on them. Without flies, there would be no swallows, and not many bats! Nor, incidentally, would we have any chocolate - the cacao tree is pollinated by midges, a kind of fly!'

The fly has made its home at Devon Wildlife Trust's Old Sludge Beds nature reserve. The five hectare site is situated between the River Exe and the Exeter Canal. Until 1969 it was used as a place where Exeter's sewage sediment was stored. Since 1979 The Trust has managed the place as a nature reserve for people and wildlife.

Devon Wildlife Trust's Steve Hussey said: 'So often we have to break the news of species that are disappearing, so it's good to be able to announce the discovery of an animal that was thought to be extinct. This is a very exciting find for Devon Wildlife Trust. We've worked hard at the Old Sludge Beds nature reserve in recent years to maintain a patchwork of reed beds, ponds and lagoons which now provide a home to local wildlife including rare dragonflies, birds and amphibians. The presence of this special fly means that we must be doing something right in supporting many of the species that make our county so special.' 

Photo: Rhaphium pectinatum. Copyright Rob Wolton (All Rights Reserved)

Future of Devon bats to be decided at High Court

The future of a population of one of northern Europe's most threatened wildlife species will be the focus of a High Court action in Bristol on Friday 12 June. The court granted permission for the claim to proceed in April 2014.
The charity Devon Wildlife Trust is bringing the Judicial Review against a planning decision made by Teignbridge District Council to grant permission for up to 230 houses to be built on land which lies just 170 metres from an internationally important site where female greater horseshoe bats congregate to give birth and raise their young. Devon Wildlife Trust has taken this unusual step in the court because the Rocklands development on the edge of Chudleigh, in South Devon, will pose a serious threat to the future of these rare bats. Chudleigh's population of greater horseshoe bats is one of the largest left in the UK but overall the species is in serious decline. The Devon bats use a site close to the Chudleigh town centre as a place to hibernate in winter and as a summer maternity roost in which to raise their young. The caves have protection from disturbance and development, and form part of the South Hams Special Area of Conservation. However, this same protection does not extend to the surrounding green fields and hedgerows which act as vital feeding grounds and flightpaths for the bats. It is the decision of Teignbridge District Council to permit a development of 230 houses in this bat-friendly landscape that Devon Wildlife Trust is taking court action to try to overturn.
Devon Wildlife Trust's Chief Executive Harry Barton said: 'These bats are some of the rarest UK mammals and Devon's rural landscapes offer one of the last places which they have left. The importance of the decision by the High Court on Friday cannot be overstated. We believe that the needs of the species haven't been properly taken into consideration in the decision to give the go ahead for 230 houses to be built so close by.'
'We recognise that there is an acute housing shortage in the country. However, this case is about ensuring we have the right scale of development in the right place. Chudleigh has grown by 67% since 1950 and is scheduled to expand by a further 435 homes. During the same period the extent of hedgerows, which the bats use to navigate to their favourite foraging grounds, have halved. Cramming development into the remaining green fields around the town threatens the future of this special landscape and the bats and other wildlife which it supports.'
Harry Barton added: 'Farmers in Chudleigh have been working hard to reverse the decline in greater horseshoe populations by maintaining wildflower rich, cattle grazed pastures. It is ironic that this hard work could be undone forever by poor planning decisions.'
Greater horseshoe bats have suffered a catastrophic decline in the past 100 years. This large bat, with a wingspan of almost 40cm, was once common across southern England, but changes in land-use such as urban development and a move away from cattle grazed pastures and hay meadows has seen its numbers tumble by more than 90% since the early 1900s. This has left greater horseshoe bats clinging on in just a few areas. Devon remains one place where the bats can still be seen and supports the largest population in the whole of northern Europe. With just 6,500 greater horseshoe bats left in the UK, a third of these survive in the county.
Devon's greater horseshoe bats are now restricted to just 11 key roosts. But now with the Chudleigh roost threatened by a housing development, Devon Wildlife Trust is concerned that the endangered species will be dealt a devastating blow. Harry Barton, Chief Executive of Devon Wildlife Trust said: 'We have opposed this housing development from its beginnings in 2013; we opposed it at its initial application stage and at a public hearing, all without success. We are very concerned that this may be the last chance we have to make a difference to the greater horseshoe bats of Chudleigh and this is why we had no option but to take Teignbridge District Council to the High Court.'
'We are also holding authorities to account which have to adhere to the most important wildlife legislation in the Country, the European Habitat Regulations. This critical legislation is there to support our most endangered habitats and species populations and is currently under threat by moves to reduce its powers. We hope that our case will set a clear precedent that will help give endangered species populations across Europe a brighter future.'
The Judicial Review is being heard on Friday 12 June at the High Court in Bristol. The solicitors acting for Devon Wildlife Trust are Richard Buxton Environmental & Public Law and the barrister is Jenny Wigley, No 5 chambers
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Champion students get power boost

Champion students get power boost 60 Devon students who have been specially selected by their schools and colleges to work for the region's marine environment have received a significant boost from a leading energy company.
The Marine Wildlife Champions project was set-up in 2014 by Devon Wildlife Trust. It brings together children from six schools and colleges in the Plymouth area. Each of the participating school's select their own Marine Champions - 10 students who then work with The Trust to help achieve three goals:
* To increase knowledge and understanding of the marine environment and the challenges it faces.
* To champion marine wildlife and to take the lead in affecting behavioural change in their own communities.
* To work as a team and present findings to wider audiences.
Now the work of these Champions has been boosted with news of generous funding support from Western Power Distribution.
At a recent event held at one participating school, Longcause Community Special School, in Plymouth, Western Power Distribution's Gary Beasley met with the school's 10 Marine Wildlife Champions to learn about their work and tell them the good news. Gary said:
"Marine conservation is something we can all support no matter how large or small our contribution we all have an important role to play in protecting the marine environment. Something as easy as taking home plastic bottles from the beach will help improve our coastlines! These sessions are informative but fun and I look forward to seeing the outcome from the individual projects."
As well as meeting Gary, the school's Marine Champions had also gathered to hear from Devon Wildlife Trust's Marine Awareness Officer Coral Smith about their work for the coming year. After a presentation from Coral about the main environmental challenges facing marine life, the Champions voted (with their eyes closed!) for the issue that they most wanted to concentrate on in the coming months. Facing a choice between Terrestrial Pollution, Plastic Pollution, Climate Change, Over Fishing and Protection of the Sea, a quick count established 'Overfishing' as the outright winner taking 5 out of the 10 votes.
Devon Wildlife Trust Marine Education Officer Coral Smith said: "We spent a very rewarding morning at Longcause Community Special School, working with their wonderful Marine Wildlife Champions. The students were presented with the 5 main challenges facing today's marine environment and they have chosen to tackle the problem of 'Overfishing.' This will be the issue they now concentrate on over the coming months. I can't wait to see what outcomes they come up with at the end of the project!" Coral added: "Western Power Distribution's support is great news because it ensures that we can properly resource this work, establishing the importance of the marine environment to young people. Funding allows us to offer it free of charge to the schools. Through allowing students to make their own decisions and come up with their own solutions we aim to produce tomorrow's advocates for more healthy and sustainable seas."

Pupils (William, left, and Jack) from Longcause Community School, Plymouth with Gary Beasley of Western Power Distribution and Coral Smith of Devon Wildlife Trust. Photo copyright Apex/Western Power Distribution (All rights reserved).

Coronation Meadow sows seeds for the future

A meadow with a royal stamp of approval is at the root of the spread of rare wildflowers in north Devon. The meadow in question is Dunsdon, a National Nature Reserve owned by leading conservation charity Devon Wildlife Trust. Its 140 acres near Holsworthy are some of the best remaining Culm grasslands in the UK. Culm is famous for its rich summer displays of wildflowers including orchids, Devil's-bit scabious and others that have largely disappeared from the wider countryside. In 2012 Dunsdon received royal approval when it was made Devon's Coronation Meadow. The award came from an original idea of HRH Prince of Wales. As a way to mark celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Queen's coronation the Prince proposed that a meadow be designated in every county. 97% of the nation's wildflower meadows have been lost in the last 75 years, and it was concern for their disappearance that lay behind the Prince's initiative. Two years on Dunsdon not only continues to flourish but it is now being used as the focus point of a project which is seeing more wildflower meadows being established elsewhere. This summer Dunsdon has become a 'donor site' for wildflower seed which is now being used to create new meadows nearby. The work is being funded through the Partnership Scheme by Biffa Award; a multi-million pound fund which awards grants to community and environmental projects across the UK. The project has involved Devon Wildlife Trust staff gathering seed from the Culm grassland meadows of Dunsdon using a specialist bit of kit known as a seed harvester. The seed is then dried while a 'receptor site' is prepared nearby. The ground of the receptor site is cut to reduce its existing grass covering and then their top layer of soil is disturbed using a tractor-pulled implement similar to a harrow. In the final stage sowing takes place. Then the long wait begins watching to see what wildflowers appear the following spring and summer. In recent weeks wildflower seed from Dunsdon National Nature Reserve has been used with this method to sow ten acres of land at nearby Headon Farm. The land was purchased by Devon Wildlife Trust in March this year. Matt Boydell, the charity's Nature Reserves manager, explained: "Our new land at Headon Farm lacks the wildflowers that could support a wider range of local wildlife. Our aim is to improve it, so that's why we've embarked on this work. Seed from Dunsdon will allow us to do this. We're planting ten acres this year and then will do a further 20 acres over the next two summers." Matt continued: "This kind of work is exactly what Coronation Meadows were intended to do. They aren't meant to be standalone relics, the last remaining wildflower rich places in our countryside. Instead the intention is that they will act as the starting places for a movement to bring back wildflowers to the wider countryside." The existing wildflower meadows of Devon Wildlife Trust's Dunsdon National NatureReserve are home to many rare and threatened plants and animals including marsh fritillary butterflies, barn owls and lesser butterfly orchids. The charity's hope is that these species will now begin to spread along with the seed of Devon's first Coronation Meadow.

Seed Harvesting - Photo copyright DWT (All rights reserved)

 Seed Sewing Photo copyright DWT (All rights reserved)

Wildflowers spread colour across city

A dash of bright and beautiful colour is set to spread across some of Exeter's best known green spaces this summer. Last year saw more than three hectares of new wildflower meadow planted across the city. Now, with summer just beginning, the seeds have grown into plants and their beautiful blooms are beginning to show off their true colours. The new wildflower meadows are the work of local residents and school students. All volunteered under the Exeter Wild City initiative, a scheme led Devon Wildlife Trust and Exeter City Council, and funded by The Big Lottery Fund and Devon Doctors. The aim was simple, to create colourful summer flower displays and help some of our most important city wildlife including minibeasts such as bumblebees, hoverflies and butterflies. In recent months more wildflower seed has been sown across Exeter by the City Council, creating wildflower beds in some of the city's most popular green spaces including Bull Meadow, Rougemont Gardens, St Thomas Pleasure Grounds and Northernhay Gardens. Planting involved a wildflower seed mix of colourful plants such as cornflower, poppy, corn chamomile and corn cockle. The results of all this planting and hard work is now beginning to show. Galvin Short from Exeter City Council said: "Biodiversity and sustainability are relatively new 'buzz words' but in partnership with Devon Wildlife Trust we have been chipping away at bland evergreen landscapes for over ten years. Most of our principal parks now have a wild corner which we leave for the mini beasts and nesting birds and our larger sites have significant areas that are maintained as wildflower meadows or as a developing wildlife habitat. The results of this project are there for all to see, and indeed listen to. Even in our city centre parks we have very active colonies of bats, bees, butterflies and moths and an almost jubilant dawn chorus." Emily Stallworthy of Devon Wildlife Trust said: "Cities such as Exeter are essential places for wildlife such as bumblebees, butterflies and birds. People's gardens and city parks provide a huge variety of flowering plants that help to feed pollinating insects. These insects then go on to do a very important job in feeding us by pollinating our orchards and crops." Emily continued: "For anybody wanting to help pollinators at home the best advice is follow the principles that we've used on this Exeter Wild City project. Our main aim has been to provide a variety of flowers throughout the year, in this way we can feed insects with nectar over long periods of time. Different insects also prefer different types of flowers, for example, open flowers such as daisies, and bell shaped such as foxgloves, so it's good to have a mix. It's also best to avoid hybridised flowers such as petunias and begonias as these produce little or no nectar for insects." Devon Wildlife Trust provides information for the budding wildlife gardener via its website www.devonwildlifetrust.org

Photo: 'Heavitree Pleasure Ground is one of the city venues to have seen an injection of wildflower colour' -  copyright DWT All Rights Reserved

ALL WASHED UP

North Devon faired reasonably well in the wake of the St. Jude’s Storm which swept over the UK overnight on the 27^th October. Almost 30 metres of rain fell in Devon with up to 75mph winds. Nearly 1inch of rain fell in neighbouring Bude and there was localised flooding and fallen trees. Meanwhile on the North Devon Coast up to a 10ft surf was predicted sending photographers and storm watchers racing to the coast to capture the waves. This was followed by another stormy night on the 3^rd November with exceptionally high tides rolling in under a full moon.  The wind had subsided the following day for our walk down to the beach, but there was a definite chill in the air. Amazingly the old trees in the wooded valley had survived. We were looking for Autumn colour but apart from the burnished bracken there was more leaf fall than leaf turn. Down at the beach the colossal Atlantic rollers had tossed a huge tree branch clear of the pebbles blocking the path at the entrance  to the beach. A wooden pallet and piles of bleached driftwood were scattered on the tideline beneath the cliffs to the left around the bend towards Clovelly and right towards Portledge and beyond. Amongst the driftwood there were, thankfully, just a few bits of plastic debris, a sign of the times. I thought it ironic that the largest item was a plastic bottle entitled “Biological Toilet Cleaner”.Article & Photos copyright P. Adams 4/11/2013

 

 After the rains, the waterfall  always looks more dramatic.  Photo copyright B. Adams

Get involved - How you can help protect our waves, oceans & beaches

• Marine Conservation Society.- UK Charity protecting our seas, shores and wildlife
• Surfers against Sewage - Take Action SAS,org.uk Beach Clean Information