Trainee sought to help north Devon conservation project

The Grazing Advice Partnership is offering one person the chance to gain a year's training and learn about conservation grazing through Devon Wildlife Trust's (DWT) Working Wetlands project. The twelve month placement will be involved in the day to day management of the charity's herd of rare breed cattle. This will include stock checking, transportation and liaison with landowners. As well as gaining the chance to carry out tractor driving tasks such as soil aeration, topping and flailing there will be the opportunity to learn other skills such as green hay spreading. The placement is part of the Grazing Links initiative of Working Wetlands, a project that supports landowners to undertake conservation grazing within three target areas of north Devon's Culm Natural Area. It is particularly focused on restoring wildlife rich habitats such as Culm grassland. Mark Elliot DWT's Working Wetlands Project Manager said: "This is a great opportunity for a local person who is perhaps looking to get into the conservation sector to gain hands-on experience through this landscape scale conservation project. They will get to work across the whole 65,000 hectare project area and help make a noticeable difference to local wildlife rich sites." Trainees will receive a tax exempt bursary of £14,000, mentoring support and access to GAP training courses. To apply applicants should visit the Grazing Advice Partnership website: www.grazingadvicepartnership.org.uk/ - Closing date for entries is 21 January.

The RSPB’s biggest event of the year "Big Garden Birdwatch"

The RSPB’s biggest event of the year "Big Garden Birdwatch" will take place on January 29th and 30th. In recent years, around half a million people have taken part but this year the RSPB hope to encourage even more people to count the birds in their garden over the weekend. Go to the Big Garden Birdwatch website: www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch where you can pre-register and receive a free information pack (if you register by 19th Jan) and 10% off bird food. Big Garden Birdwatch encourages many people to get involved and enjoy the wildlife in their garden and from 11th January, they are offering new adult members a choice of free gift that includes the popular RSPB classic apex nest box if they join by 31st March. Or, you can still choose the RSPB Handbook of British Birds or bird feeder with seed – all perfect gifts to help people enjoy the birds in their garden.
New Membership prices for 2011:
Single child £16
Two or more children £26.50
Single Adult Membership £38
Joint Adult Membership £48
Family Membership £53


More Big Garden Bird Watch Posts

Walking for Health scheme receives new support for the New Year

Taw Torridge Volunteer Services (TTVS) and Transform Ilfracombe have come together with the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Service to coordinate Walking for Health groups in North Devon and Torridge. Walking for Health is a national scheme that uses the national environment to help people confront and prevent health problems such as obesity, stress and mental health conditions, and aid recovery from illness. Led by Natural England, it provides support for local, volunteer-led walking groups to offer a range of walks for people of varying abilities. As Jenny Fish from TTVS explains, "Health and exercise are at the forefront of our thoughts immediately after the excesses of Christmas and New Year, so what better time to encourage people to get involved with Walking for Health." Devon County Council's Cabinet Member for Environmental and Regulatory Services, Cllr Roger Croad, agrees; "Research shows that access to the natural environment is good for us. We are lucky in north Devon to have a Biosphere Reserve with a high quality environment that is internationally recognised, so a scheme like this that uses our natural environment to confront health problems and other diseases is to be welcomed. Devon County Council is pleased to have provided the resources for the Biosphere Reserve team to bring in the voluntary sector to support provision in northern Devon." "Using the voluntary sector's community links and experience will make sure that walking for health opportunities reach those that really need them. This is what big society is all about!" There are Walking for Health Groups currently operating in Bideford and Holsworthy in Torridge, and South Molton, Barnstaple, Ilfracombe and Combe Martin in North Devon and all can benefit from this support. Transform and TTVS have received 18 month's grant funding from the North Devon AONB and Biosphere Service to enable the Groups to grow and reach more new walkers, and to set up new groups where there is demand.
To learn more about Walking for Health in North Devon and Torridge contact Transform (01271 867131) and TTVS (01805 625614) respectively. All the Group's walks programmes can be found at  www.wfh.naturalengland.org.uk/walkfinder