Volunteers make the difference at Dartmoor wildlife haven

Six months hard work by volunteers has made a crucial difference for wildlife and people at one of Dartmoor's premier nature reserves. Volunteers and staff of Devon Wildlife Trust have together undertaken 110 days of labour during the past spring and summer at the charity's Emsworthy Mire nature reserve, which sits between Widecombe-in-the-Moor and Manaton. Together they have worked to increase public access and improve the reserve's mix of wildlife-rich mires, wet-woodlands and riverbanks.

The work has been made possible by funding of £14,640 from Viridor Credits Environmental Company through the Landfill Communities Fund, together with a contribution from the Parishscapes project, part of the Heritage Lottery Fund-supported Moor Than Meets The Eye scheme led by Dartmoor National Park Authority.   ¾ of a mile of new fencing will allow the charity to control the

numbers of grazing animals entering the reserve's mires, thus protecting their delicate communities of plants which include butterwort, cotton-grass and the insect-eating sundew.

Nine new gates were also installed, while paths have been cut through previously impenetrable gorse and scrub. The gates and paths now provide walks to parts of the reserve and along sections of its riverbank which were once off-limits to visitors. Boardwalks and way markers have also been added so that nearly 4 miles of trails now explore the reserve's 110 hectares of beautiful Dartmoor valley.

Andrew Taylor is one of 50 local volunteers who have worked hard to make the improvements. The Manaton man, who is also Devon Wildlife Trust's volunteer nature reserve warden for Emsworthy Mire, said:

"Emsworthy Mire is a big and very varied nature reserve with spectacular views of the surrounding Dartmoor tors. For four years I had it pretty much to myself as nobody else could find their way in, out or around it. This project has struck the right balance - the funders and Devon Wildlife Trust's volunteers have made it possible and enjoyable for people to explore Emsworthy and its amazing wildlife,but a visit here will always be an adventure".

Gareth Williams, Funded Projects Manager at Viridor Credits said:

"I am delighted to work again with our partners at Devon Wildlife Trust to not only enhance the wildlife value at Emsworthy but to also ensure that the access improvements mean it is accessible to as many people as possible to enjoy."

Community Heritage Officer Emma Stockley, who runs Parishscapes said:

"Parishscapes helps support local communities to run heritage projects and this has been a great opportunity to use a Parishscapes grant to help DWT and local volunteers make fantastic improvements to the Emsworthy site".

Like most of Devon Wildlife Trust's 49 nature reserves around the county, Emsworthy Mire is open 365 days a year and is free to enter. The charity recommends that visitors be prepared for some wet and muddy sections when going to Emsworthy Mire nature reserve, especially during autumn and winter.

Local volunteers laying boardwalks through Devon Wildlife Trust's Emsworthy Mire nature reserve, Dartmoor

Emsworthy Mire nature reserve. Photo copyright Simon Williams (All rights reserved)

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Visiting Emsworthy Mire Nature Reserve

To explore the reserve you can start at grid reference SX 748 761, Saddle Tor car park (head down into the network of stone-walled fields); or at SX 739 779, the layby at Holwell Lawn (look out for the new five-bar gate with Devon Wildlife Trust signs). Both of these entrances are on the seasonal Haytor Hoppa bus route. Mounted maps by the gateways show a network of paths which you can follow using arrowed marker posts and a series of boardwalks.

To plan a visit to this and other Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserves go to

www.devonwildlifetrust.org

Autumn Highlights. First ever Apple Day at Clovelly on Friday, 28th October

It is Apple Season – so Clovelly are holding our first Apple Day with lots of lovely apple crafts and activities. On arrival at Clovelly you will see apple pressing by Gatcombe Valley Juices outside the Visitor Centre, so please do bring a bag of apples, watch them being pressed and taste the fresh juice or if you wish, you can bring more for pasteurisation and bottling for which there will be a charge (£1.90 per 75 cl bottle).

On entry to Clovelly (free for children under 7 years old), you will find the Apple crafts and activities in the Visitor Centre from 12:00-16:00. The round shape of the apple with the great reds and greens makes the apple a perfect base for creating art. So enjoy some Apple Art with The Plough and either carve, sculpt, decorate or do all of them with your apple to enter the Apple Art Competition!

There will also be Live Music by "no rest for the fiddlers", apple bobbing, apple stamping, and especially for adults, apple cup making, which you can then use to enjoy a refreshing cider drink (available at the café bar) or perhaps some fresh apple juice! Clovelly Court Gardens produce, including a pick of pumpkins, will be on sale and Merry Harriers Garden Centre will also have some of their interesting products on display.

At 4pm families can take part in a fun Harvest Hunt with the Clovelly tour guide, Jana Edwards, who will take you down the village street telling spooky stories and looking for clues to win a harvest treat, finishing at the New Inn at 5:30pm. Please book your place on arrival as spaces are limited.

Apple Day, Clovelly
Friday 28th October 2016
  Clovelly Visitor Centre/Clovelly High street
Time: Apple pressing: 11.00-13.00

Apple day activities: 12.00-16.00

Harvest Hunt: 16.00–17.30.
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Contact: Visitor Centre. Tel: 01237 431781

 Email: visitorcentre@clovelly.co.uk
www.clovelly.co.uk

Protecting Devon's trees for the future at Kew's Millennium Seed Bank

A local charity is playing a key part in an initiative which is protecting the nation's 'tree heritage'.

Throughout October Devon Wildlife Trust is collecting seed from a series of well-known local wild tree and shrub species including rowan, crab apple, raspberry, silver birch, honey suckle and elder. The collections are an important part of a national project to protect the UK's trees.  The charity is undertaking the work as a partner in the UK National Tree Seed Project, which has been set up by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew's Millennium Seed Bank, with funding from players of People's Postcode Lottery.

The Devon seeds are being gathered by staff and volunteers at Devon Wildlife Trust's 49 nature reserves throughout the county. Tree seeds collected as part of the project will be safely banked in the underground vaults of Kew's Millennium Seed Bank - forming the UK's first national collection of tree seeds. These can then play a vital role in conservation work to protect UK trees and woodlands, including against pests and diseases such as ash dieback. The collections, and associated data, will be available to researchers working on solutions to tackle the many threats facing our woodlands.

Devon Wildlife Trust's Andrew Warren has been one of the team who have done the seed collection work. Andrew says:

"We have been asked to gather sufficient seeds to provide researchers and conservationists with the opportunity of increasing education, scientific research and a greater understanding of the challenges facing UK forests.

The project has also helped us focus on the amazing shapes, sizes and distribution of trees on our own nature reserves. Because we've had to seek out suitable trees of particular species it has meant going into half-forgotten and less accessible parts our nature reserves to find unfamiliar trees, rather than merely selecting a few well-known trees which live along the reserves' more obvious paths and routes."

Clare Trivedi, UK National Tree Seed Project Co-ordinator at Kew Gardens, says:

"Building up our seed collections of the nation's favourite and most important tree species is a vital step in combating the multiplying pests and diseases which threaten to alter our landscape dramatically. We are delighted that Devon Wildlife Trust is supporting this project to help us ensure that seeds from across the UK are collected and conserved."

The UK National Tree Seed Project launched in May 2013 with the aim of securing genetically diverse collections of UK native trees and shrubs. The species target list takes into account factors such as conservation status, prevalence in the landscape and vulnerability to pests and diseases. The target species include many which underpin the UK's wider plant and animal diversity, as well as supporting woodland industry, tourism and recreation, such as ash, juniper, Scots pine, alder, beech, silver birch and yew.

Devon Wildlife Trust's Steve Hussey says:

"As a charity working for the county's wildlife we are very conscious of the great pride that people hold for particular local trees. Because of the great age that trees can live to they become store-houses for people's memories and even for local folklore. The trees are, of course, also vital homes and food sources for local birds, insects, fungi and mammals. For these reasons they are priceless natural assets and we are very pleased to be doing our bit to preserve their distinctiveness for the future."

Devon Wildlife Trust's Andrew Warren with part of the crab apple harvest from the charity's Dunsford nature reserve

Devon Wildlife Trust staff pick crab apples at the charity's Dunsford nature reserve (Teign Valley)

All Photos copyright DWT (All rights Reserved)