Wildlife Trust's new App leads people to nature

Heading out this weekend and want new places to experience autumn's wildlife spectacles? Or perhaps you just want to discover nature on your doorstep... With Nature Finder, The Wildlife Trusts' new free iPhone app, you will have a fabulous guide to thousands of nature reserves and wildlife across the UK. If you're looking for a day out and wondering where to go or what to do, look no further. Nature Finder, the simple location-based app, enables the user to find Wildlife Trust nature reserves and events wherever their current location. The app uses GPS technology to automatically find the user's location and display maps and listings of Wildlife Trust nature reserves and events nearby. Each nature reserve has an image, brief description, and information on facilities, such as parking, toilets etc. Announcing the launch of the app Devon Wildlife Trust's Steve Hussey said, 'If you're looking for a day out and wondering where to go or what to do, look no further. Visit glorious woodlands, beautiful wetlands and inspiring coastline - wander through wild countryside, discover secret inner city wildlife havens and enjoy family events from bat nights to fungal forays and children's nature activities.' The Wildlife Trusts care for more than 2,300 of some of the most beautiful wild places in the UK - landscapes that not only look gorgeous but are all the more precious because they are carefully managed to ensure that wild plants and species can thrive. In the South West the Wildlife Trust's care for some of the region's most iconic landscapes including wild coastlines, heather covered Dartmoor tors and tumbling rivers. 'This app represents a great way of accessing the South West's best nature reserves', said Steve Hussey. 'Using it will unlock walks along the River Teign at Dunsford Woods nature reserve, adventures across the wild countryside of Marsland nature reserve near Hartland, and a chance to explore the beautiful heathlands of East Devon at Bystock nature reserve. These and other wildlife havens are there to be explored and they are all free to enter.'

Fantastic features of Nature Finder, which is free, include:

• Searching more than 2,000 Wildlife Trust nature reserves  Information on more than 800 UK wildlife species, with the ability to favourite * Searching for nature events and activities
• A directory for all 47 Wildlife Trusts with contact details and ability to donate by text
• Saving your favourite places - where you've been and where you'd like to go 

Nature Finder, suitable for all iPhone and iPad models, is available from the App Store - just search for 'Wildlife Trusts'. http://www.wildlifetrusts.org/app

Photo copyright Tom Marshall

Focus Nature Notes. Don't Tidy up Mrs. Tiggy

Well  I was doing my bit for nature, leaving the hedge-trimming, pruning and tidying up until later so not to disturb the nesting birds. My garden, I am proud to say, is quite small, rather untidy, a tangle of climbers, overgrown shrubs and not so pristine lawns but this also makes it very wild-life friendly. Last  week I finally started cutting back the hedges, the flowering shrubs, honeysuckle and roses and generally tidying up. I started by adding an extension to my Critter Hotel  with an old up-turned wicker cat basket thinking it might be a cosy winter shelter for our resident hedgehogs. I must say I was very happy with the result, I was “Giving Nature a Home”, a veritable palace built out of cut down cable hose, logs and evergreen  branches. I was also emptying the compost bins spreading it around the flower beds and the base of the shrubs for the Blackbirds and Robins to rummage through. I eventually worked my way to the messiest corner of the garden where unused pots and trays have lain undisturbed for a couple of years. I lifted up some corrugated plastic sheeting and Noooooooo- in the far corner curled up like a hairy caterpillar was a sleeping hedgehog.  She was in the perfect place beneath the Beech trees, nestled in a leafy mattress with easy access to the path for her nightly forages in the garden. I immediately put the sheet back, sprinkled with leaves, hoping that I hadn’t disturbed her, feeling so guilty wondering if she was already hibernating or just having an afternoon nap. So the moral of the story is nature will find a home in the unlikeliest places, in messy pots, clumps of twigs and leafy litter. The beginning of November is when hedgehogs normally settle down for  the winter and as Guy Fawkes Night approaches this is a time to be extra vigilant. Devon Wildlife Trust advise leaving bonfire building as late as possible. Our hedgehogs have been in the garden for years but I have never known where their home is, I also didn’t know that they will usually wake and forage more than once through the winter so I will continue to leave a few nuts by the door on warmer nights.Article and Photo Pat Adams 1/11/2013

• Devon Wildlife Trust - Adopt a Species
• The RSPB have tips on Giving Nature a Home.
• RSPCA North Devon
• North Devon Animal Ambulance - Wildlife Rescue
• Wikepedia Stub The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle is a children's book written and illustrated by Beatrix Potter. It was published by Frederick Warne & Co. in October 1905.

The Factory goes Boom

The Factory venue has teamed up with Boom Artists-a spin-off from the UK's fastest growing festival Boomtown Fair, and they have been busy programming a season of cutting edge music events that are set to change the face of live music for the local area. This first series of events is called Saturday Night Live and they run from October through to December. You are invited to experience quality live Ska, Reggae, Dub, Funk and Hip Hop through The Factory's state of the art sound and lighting rigs. Make way for headliners Babyhead, The Skints and Dr Meaker, plus legendary DJ Ed Solo is coming to play out the season's finale. Featuring alongside these established artists are handpicked rising stars from across the South West, all bringing their unique sounds and styles to The Factory. Please check out Skata Tones, The Dead Betas, Jamie Mead, Shire Roots and Blazenstein, Cut Capers, The ASBO Disco and DJ Wonka. The Factory will also be running competitions for acts who want to join some of these line-ups and news of these will be appearing on 'The Factory Petroc' Facebook page.