Good News Day for Northam Burrows Country Park Visitors

It was announced in the local press yesterday (18^th July) that the Northam Burrows Visitor Centre will be re-opening in time for the Summer holidays after the major fire which occurred over the Bank Holiday in May 2017. 

Although the centre was badly damaged the rangers adapted well while the reconstruction work was underway as can be seen in the photo below taken on a sunny Saturday in June. The North Devon Biosphere Foundation loaned the events trailer which served as a temporary display area and information point. If you know the name of the happy ranger please leave a comment

The re-opening will coincide with the launch of the Burrows’ Summer programme of events including talks and walks, rockpool rambles, herbal potions, dinosaur days, underwater crafts, circus skills and more. 

Happy to Help - temporary display area and information point - Photo Pat Adams

Walk beside the sea beside Northam Burrows Country Park - Photo Pat Adams

Walk beside the sea beside Northam Burrows Country Park - Photo Pat Adams

 The saviour of the Sand Dunes is Marram Grass - Photo Pat Adams

Braunton Burrows across the Torridge Estuary - Photo Pat Adams

"Business as usual" while reconstruction work is underway on the fire damaged Northam Burrows Visitor Centre - Photo Pat Adams 

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 Tap here for information on Northam Burrows Country Park & latest event details

Tap here to read article/view pictures of the damage in the North Devon Gazette

Tap here for news about the opening from Torridge District Council

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Northam Burrows Country Park lies at the mouth of the Taw Torridge Estuary and is protected from the raging Atlantic Ocean by a famous Pebble Ridge which runs the length of the two mile stretch of beach at Westward Ho! The Burrows consist of over 600 acres of coastal grassland, sand dunes and salt marsh known as The Skern. This area certainly appears to be a bleak, barren wasteland, but looks can be deceptive. It is a designated site of scientific interest and although there is a dearth of vegetation on the actual pebble ridge save the odd sprig of sea spurge, the Burrows supports a variety of plant life including Dune Pansy, Glasswort, Sea Holly, Sharp Rush and Storksbill. The saviour of the Sand Dunes is Marram Grass which grows vigorously in this inhospitable landscape. This common land is shared happily by all manner of tiny creatures, birds, butterflies, horses and sheep as well as golfers and walkers. The oldest links course in England is sited within the park and a separate section is set aside for local horse riding stables.(Article North Devon Focus on Northam Burrows)

Prof Iain Stewart revealed as charity’s new president

Plymouth University academic and TV geologist Professor Iain Stewart MBE has been revealed as the new president of top local conservation charity Devon Wildlife Trust.

Prof Stewart is only the third person to take on the honorary role since the conservation charity was founded 55 years ago in 1962. His appointment was made after a unanimous decision by Devon Wildlife Trust’s 15 strong Board of Trustees. He succeeds Prof Ian Mercer CBE, the eminent conservationist who had held the position from 1985 until his death in September 2016.

Prof Stewart spent a recent visit to Devon Wildlife Trust’s Wembury Marine Centre finding out about the work the charity does for local people and nature. Prof Stewart spoke of his new role as The Trust’s president:

“It’s a tremendously exciting opportunity. Wildlife conservation is fresh territory for me and it’s going to be a big learning curve, but it will allow me to indulge myself in all the things I loved as a kid – the natural world and a sense of adventure.

I thought a lot about whether to take this role up with Devon Wildlife Trust. I said yes because the charity is local to me. They are right in my neighbourhood. But I also said yes because for a lot of people wildlife is an entry point to something much bigger. There’s an overlap between people who are interested in wildlife and issues in my working world such as climate change.”

The geologist, who is Director of the Sustainable Earth Institute at Plymouth University’s School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, joined pupils from Coombe Dean Secondary School, Plymouth on a guided rockpool safari to discover the wildlife which lives in Wembury’s many tidal pools. Among the group’s finds were shore crabs, pipe fish and cushion stars. Prof Stewart said:

“Spending time with these young people you can see there’s loads of energy, it’s just buzzing. One of the best things about this kind of event is that it provides really simple excitement from being outdoors and exploring nature. It’s the kind of thing I did as a child and I also did it with my kids on this very beach. You get the sense that the children here today don’t think they are learning science, they are just having fun, which is fantastic.

Devon Wildlife Trust is an exemplar as to how you can combine good science and a passionate membership, with effective decision making. I’m proud that I am now to be a part of it.”

Devon Wildlife Trust’s Chair, Dr Peta Foxall, joined Prof Stewart on his visit and welcomed the news of the appointment. She said:

"I am delighted that Iain has accepted the Board’s invitation to become President of Devon Wildlife Trust. Iain’s knowledge and expertise as a geologist and his infectious enthusiasm for the subject means that he will be a great ambassador for the work of the Trust.”

Harry Barton, Devon Wildlife Trust’s Chief Executive, spoke of the role Prof Iain Stewart would now take up. He said:

“I’m absolutely delighted about Iain’s appointment, as I am sure will be our 31,000 members and our many other supporters. Iain is a brilliant communicator and has turned audiences on to geology all over the world through his TV series, such as How Earth Made Us. I have no doubt that he will be a wonderful advocate for our work too.

Wildlife and wild places remain Devon’s best assets but they face some serious pressures today. I’m so pleased that Iain has agreed to become our president and help us champion their cause.”

Prof Stewart was born in East Kilbride, Scotland and studied geography and geology at Strathclyde University. He came to Devon in 2004 to take up a teaching and research post at Plymouth University. He was later appointed Professor of Geoscience Communication, believed to be the first position of its type in the world.

He lives in Plymouth with his partner Paola and two teenage daughters. In a profile piece with the Sunday Telegraph in 2010 Prof Stewart described his favourite Devon haunts as Dartmoor, the waterfalls at Lydford Gorge and the county’s wonderful beaches.

 Prof Iain Stewart, Devon Wildlife Trust’s new President, at Wembury Marine Centre, near Plymouth

Prof Iain Stewart, centre, with Devon Wildlife Trust’s Chair, Dr Peta Foxall, and Devon Wildlife Trust’s Chief Executive, Harry Barton.

Counting on Butterflies with the Butterfly Conservation

Mid-July already and I must say there have been plenty of bees a-buzzing but the butterflies seem to have been few and far between up to now around my North Devon patch.

On my walk-abouts and in my garden I have seen one Green-veined White, Peacock, Speckled Wood and Orange Tips early on in May and over the past couple of months have spotted a Brimstone, Green-Veined White and Large/Small White, a couple of Red Amiral, one Peacock, Small Tortoishell, Meadow Brown, Heath Brown, a few Comma, a Skipper and a couple of Six-Spot Burnet Moths! Earlier today I got a record shot of a Ringlet.

On reflection I suppose that's not bad really but they are in so few numbers especially as the Buddleia (aka Butterfly Bush) has been flowering in my garden for a couple of weeks now, so I am hoping they arrive on mass in the next couple of weeks in time for the Butterfly Conservation Big Butterfly Count which this year is from 14th July-6th August. It's a fun thing to do especially for a family with budding young naturalists as they can learn to recognise different species using an illustrated butterfly chart or or free mobile phone app.

The big butterfly count, is a UK nationwide survey aimed at helping assess the health of the environment. It was launched in 2010 and has rapidly become the world's biggest survey of butterflies. You can show your support by signing up HERE

Sir David Attenborough, President of Butterfly Conservation, Alan Titchmarsh MBE, Nick Baker and Mike Dilger, Vice Presidents of Butterfly Conservation and the actress Joanna Lumley OBE have given their enthusiastic backing to the project and will support its launch and operation.

Before setting out on your quest to count or photograph butterflies it is also useful to know the different habitats and food plants favoured by individual species.

 Comma - RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, North Devon  2 July 2017

 Meadow Brown - RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, North Devon 2017

 Large White (Female) Welcombe, North Devon 1st July 2017

Large Skipper - Welcombe, North Devon 1st July 2017

 Peacock - My Garden North Devon 24th May 2017

 Green-Veined White - My Garden North Devon 1st July 2017

Speckled Wood - My Garden North Devon 28th May 2017

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 Tap here to sign up for the Big Butterfly Count 2017

Article/Photos copyright Pat Adams (All Rights Reserved)

Book signings by local Devon author, Liz Shakespeare

Readers who enjoy books with local settings will have the opportunity to buy signed copies this summer. North Devon author Liz Shakespeare, whose latest book has recently been featured on BBC TV and radio, has a busy summer ahead visiting many South-West events.

Liz has become well-known as an author who brings to life the people, history and landscapes of Devon. She was born and brought up in Bideford and has a long Devon ancestry which she feels has given her a good understanding of Devon and its people.

Her most recent book, The Postman Poet, is a novel telling the true life story of Edward Capern, a humble Devon postman whose poems, written while walking the rural lanes of North Devon on his daily round in the mid-19th century, won plaudits from the Prime Minister and the support of the biggest literary names of the day. Liz drew on historical research and details in the poems to tell the extraordinary story through Edward’s eyes as he struggles to support his family, a story that captures the opportunities and inequalities of Victorian North Devon. Alongside the novel, she has published a selection of Capern’s poems, and in recognition of his commitment to social justice she will be donating £1 to the Northern Devon Foodbank from the sale of each copy of this book.

Historical research was also the inspiration for her previous books, The Turning of the Tide, a true story of a young Clovelly mother confined in Bideford Workhouse, Fever: A Story from a Devon Churchyard, and The Memory Be Green: An Oral History of a Devon Village. All Around The Year, is a collection of twelve poignant stories, deeply rooted in the Devon countryside, and each linked to a month of the year from January through to December.

Liz will be signing copies of all her books at the following events:

• Magpie Marquee at the Mid-Devon Show on 22nd July
• Dunster Country Fair on 26th July
• Launceston Show on 27th July
• Woolsery Show on 31st July
• In the Crafts and Gifts Marquee at the North Devon Show on August 2nd
• Okehampton Show on August 10th,
• Dartmoor Folk Festival on August 12th and 13th
• Chagford Show on August 17th,
• Holsworthy Show on August 24th
• Clovelly Crab and Lobster Festival on September 3rd

Further details of Liz’s books can be found on her website www.lizshakespeare.co.uk

 

Wider Focus: First Taste from Flyte. New release "Cathy Come Home", Debut Album & UK Headline Tour Dates

'Cathy Come Home' is a first taste of what's to come from Flyte's highly anticipated debut album, set to be released on August 25th. 

In the school of Grizzly Bear, Alt J, and Fleet Foxes they have used their four voices to guide their sound, avoiding crashing cymbals and layers of electric guitars in favour of a more crafted, carefully constructed approach. Lead singer Will Taylor's style of lyric writing weaves threads of George Orwell and Evelyn Waugh with Nick Drake and Ray Davies, tapping into the English malaise and coming of age nostalgia like so many writers before him. Tap here to Watch the Cathy Lyric Video 

Flyte separately admit that as early as age ten, a career in music was their only ambition. Drummer Jon Supran and bassist Nick Hill met guitarist Will Taylor at their local comprehensive school, where Will's parents both taught English. They later came upon keys player Sam Berridge busking at Tottenham Court Road station after moving to Hackney in their late teens. Accomplished songwriters who quickly earned a reputation for their trademark vocal arrangements and live show, the band released a flurry of alternative singles before pairing up with Courtney Barnett producer Burke Reid to create their first full length record.

Flyte's debut album is out on August 25 2017.

FLYTE TOUR DATES

Fri 15 Sep 2017  United Kingdom Southampton The Joiners

Sat 16 Sep 2017 United Kingdom Brighton Patterns

Tue 19 Sep 2017 United Kingdom London Scala

Mon 25 Sep 2017 United Kingdom Cambridge Portland Arms

Tue 26 Sep 2017 United Kingdom Norwich The Waterfront Studio

Wed 27 Sep 2017 United Kingdom Wolverhampton Newhampton Arts Centre

Thu 28 Sep 2017 United Kingdom Cardiff Gwdihŵ Café Bar

Sat 30 Sep 2017 United Kingdom Leicester The Cookie

Sun 1 Oct 2017 United Kingdom Oxford The Cellar

Mon 2 Oct 2017 United Kingdom Guildford Boileroom

Wed 4 Oct 2017 United Kingdom Hull The Polar Bear

Thu 5 Oct 2017 United Kingdom Leeds Chapel

Fri 6 Oct 2017 United Kingdom York The Fulford Arms

Sat 7 Oct 2017 United Kingdom Manchester Neighbourhood Festival

Mon 09 Oct 2017 United Kingdom Nottingham The Bodega

Tue 10 Oct 2017 United Kingdom Birmingham Academy 3

Wed 11 Oct 2017 United Kingdom Liverpool Buyers' Club

Thu 12 Oct 2017 United Kingdom Bristol Exchange

Tap here to Buy Tickets for Scala headline on September 19th

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Connect with Flyte
"Echoes of early solo macca" – The Sunday Times
Facebook
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Tap here to Buy Tickets for Scala headline on September 19th

Film Making Summer Schools. Unique Opportunity for Creative Kids in North Devon

Community film making organisation North Devon Moving Image (NDMI) will be running two film making summer schools for children and teenagers this coming August.

Creative Director of NDMI, Amanda McCormack is really excited to be providing this unique opportunity for youngsters in North Devon “There will be two week-long workshops in Instow, one for 11 to 15 year olds from 7th-11th August and the other for ages 6 to 11 from 14th-18th August .” says Amanda “The younger group will be creating a fun Creature Comforts style stop motion film and the older group will be given a surprise “prop box” to inspire the story for their short film.”

To maximise the benefit for each participant there are only six places available on each course and the young film makers will be supported by two workshop facilitators. The participation fee is £150 per child and there is a sibling discount available. All the details are on the North Devon Moving Image website  or you can telephone Amanda McCormack on 01271 860610 for more information.

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NDMI ACADEMY
1. Film Making Summer School Ages 11-15
Monday 7th August to Friday 11th August 2017 - 11am to 3pm
​ Venue: St John's Church Room, Rectory Lane, Instow EX39 4LU
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2. Animation Summer School Ages 6-11
Monday 14th August to Friday 18th August 2017 - ​9am to 1pm
​Venue: St John's Church Room, Rectory Lane, Instow EX39 4LU

Applications for the Summer Schools are now open.

Tap here for further details

Devon fish paying high price for Scottish salmon farms

A Devon-based wildlife charity is calling for immediate action to control a fishing practice which is leading to thousands of local fish – from a family of fish known as wrasse - being removed from around the coast of Devon. The fish are being transported alive to Scottish salmon farms where they are being used as a ‘natural’ control against parasites.

Today Devon Wildlife Trust is calling for a ban on the live capture of the fish from Devon’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)* – places which have been recognised for the richness of their marine nature. The Trust is requesting people in Devon to voice their opposition by signing an on-line petition which asks for action to be taken by the county’s MPs.

The removal of live wrasse for Scottish fish farms is thought to be a relatively new practice. Until now wrasse have not been commercially fished in Devon, however, demand from Scotland for parasite control has meant that five species are now being targeted. These include: corkwing, ballan, goldsinney, cuckoo, and rock cook wrasse.

Recently limited controls on Devon’s wrasse fishery have been implemented by the Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA), but Devon Wildlife Trust believes that these do not go far enough. It points to a similar wrasse fishery which took place in 2015 in Dorset. This saw 57,000 of the fish taken during just one 18-week period in an area between Lulworth and Weymouth. Now the fear is that a similar operation is underway in Devon.

Devon Wildlife Trust is concerned about the impact this will have on local wrasse populations and the wider marine environment. The charity’s Director of Conservation and Development, Peter Burgess said:

“We’re calling for an immediate stop to the practice of removing live fish from Devon’s MPAs to satisfy the needs of Scottish fish farms. This is a very destructive fishery. Mortality rates among the wrasse are often high - many of them do not survive the process of capture, storage and transportation they are put through.”

“Wrasse are long-lived and highly territorial fish, so the removal of large numbers along the Devon coast will severely disrupt their populations – it could take decades for them to recover.”

Peter Burgess added:

“Nobody yet knows what impacts wholescale removal of wrasse will have on our fragile marine reef ecosystems and the natural balance could be thrown into chaos. This could be devastating for not only the wrasse but habitats and species which depend on them for their survival.”

“The recent moves by the Devon IFCA to partially control the fishery are an acknowledgement of the problem but don’t go nearly far enough to offering a solution. It’s vital that we exercise the precautionary principle and halt the capture and removal of wrasse from our most precious marine environments before long term damage is done.”

Devon Wildlife Trust has evidence that as many as 480 baited traps, known as pots, could be deployed around the county’s coastlines. There are currently no restrictions on where the pots can be placed. As wrasse live on rocky reefs close to shore this means that much of the fishing activity could take place within Devon’s most treasured and protected ‘in-shore’ marine environments, places which include Plymouth Sound Special Area of Conservation and Wembury Voluntary Marine Conservation Area.

Devon’s wrasse are being removed to meet demand from salmon fish farms in Scotland. Wrasse are used as ‘cleaner fish’ helping fish farms by feeding on the sea lice that infest captive salmon and which slow their growth. In the past chemical controls have been used against the lice. However, in recent years the lice have developed resistance to these chemicals and salmon producers have instead turned to the use of ‘natural’ controls in the shape of wrasse and other fish.

Devon Wildlife Trust’s Peter Burgess encouraged people to support the charity’s call for a stop to the mass removal of wrasse for the Scottish salmon industry. He said:

“Devon wrasse populations are being threatened to solve the problems caused by commercial salmon fish farms hundreds of miles away in Scotland. Once commercially viable stocks of wrasse are exhausted from Plymouth our fear is this practice could move to ports throughout the South West.

There are only limited controls on this new fishery and little understanding of its longer term impacts on the health of this fascinating native species and the fragile reef environments the wrasse help to sustain. This is why we’re asking the people of Devon to help us stop the removal of thousands of wrasse from the county’s Marine Protected Areas by signing our on-line petition.”

Details on Devon Wildlife Trust’s wrasse petition can be found at www.devonwildlifetrust.org

 

Corkwing Wrasse Photo: Paul Naylor/www.marinephoto.co.uk (All Rights Reserved)

Ballan Wrasse. Photo: Paul Naylor/www.marinephoto.co.uk (All Rights Reserved)

Cuckoo Wrasse. Photo: Paul Naylor/www.marinephoto.co.uk

  Devon Wildlife Trust’s Peter Burgess

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Tap Here for details on Devon Wildlife Trust’s Wrasse petition

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Marine Protected Areas are “home to some of the most biologically diverse habitats and species in Europe” and are identified as such by the Joint Nature Conservation Council (JNCC), the public body that advises the UK Government and devolved administrations on UK-wide and international nature conservation.

‘Bat cam’ provides unique view of rare animals

Viewers of a very different kind of reality TV will be going batty in the coming weeks. People can tune into a live webcam of a greater horseshoe bat roost to see hundreds of the rare animals appearing on screen at one time.

The bat cam is beaming live pictures around the world from an undisclosed greater horseshoe bat roost in South Devon. The camera was specially installed as part of the Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project – a 5 year partnership project made possible by National Lottery players through a £785,500 Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) grant, led by Devon Wildlife Trust, which is working towards sustaining Devon’s population of these threatened nocturnal animals.

Ruth Testa, Project Manager, of the Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project said:

‘The bat cam allows everyone to see what goes on inside a bat roost – something that is not normally possible. By logging on to our website (www.devonbatproject.org) and watching the live footage, people can get a unique and intimate view into the lives of these wonderful animals. You can also watch footage of some of our teams favourite moments from previous years.’

Colin Morris, Nature Reserves Manager for The Vincent Wildlife Trust which owns and manages the site and is a partner in the project, said:

‘The bats are very active at the moment - people should keep their eyes peeled as the female greater horseshoe bats are getting ready to give birth. While difficult to see during daytime, the newborn pups are left on their own once the adults go out to hunt at night. The coming weeks should see some drama as a succession of baby bats appear on screen!’

Greater horseshoe bats have seen their numbers plummet by over 90% in the last 100 years. Today Devon remains a stronghold of the endangered species with about a third of the UK population thought to be surviving in the county.

The Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project hopes to reverse the species’ decline. Over the coming years it will continue to work with local landowners, farmers and communities across Devon ensuring that Devon remains a place which offers greater horseshoe bats the room to live and flourish.

Ruth Testa said:

‘Devon is really important for this amazing bat, as we have retained some of the landscape which is so important to them. Small, hedge-lined fields, grazed by cattle, with pockets of woodland provide the food that they need to sustain their young.’

Members of the public can help us improve our scientific knowledge of bats by taking part in the Devon Bat Survey. During the summer months you can borrow an SM4 bat detector for 4 days from 20 locations across Devon through our online booking service www.devonbatproject.org/devon-bat-survey.

A Greater Horseshoe Bat – Photo copyright Michael Symes (All Rights Reserved) 

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Tap here for Devon Horseshoe Bat Project Webcam 

Tap here to take part in the Devon Bat Survey

Emily aims to send pupils wild

Local-charity Devon Wildlife Trust’s latest appointment Emily Bacon has an unusual job: to make Exeter’s school children go wild!

Emily, a 24 year old graduate who studied zoology at the University of Exeter, will work with schools throughout the city for the next 12 months inspiring children with a love of wildlife and the outdoors. Her work as an Education Assistant with Devon Wildlife Trust is being supported by players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

One of the Emily’s first tasks will be to establish a network of Forest Schools which will offer outdoor learning to primary and secondary school students across the city.

Emily said:

“My targets are ambitious – I plan to work with 6,500 young people in Exeter during the next year. But the opportunity to engage with so many young people which is so exciting. To be able to get students out of the classroom, taking their learning outside and immersing them in nature is a wonderful privilege.

The young people who take part will develop a variety of new skills. They’ll learn how to build wild shelters and learn how to light a cooking fire. They will also gain nature detective skills, play outdoor team games and use nature to spark their creativity. These are all things that should be part of a young person’s life.”

Emily’s plans will take her beyond schools to work with local brownies, cubs and holiday clubs. In her work she’ll be using a special ‘cargo bike’ to carry all her equipment. Emily said:

“The bike is like an old-fashioned butcher’s bike with a cargo container on the front in which I’ll store my outdoor learning equipment. It should become a distinctive sight across the city as I pedal around with livery which tells people about the project, Devon Wildlife Trust and the support of players of People’s Postcode Lottery. Look out for me as I’ll be coming to a school near you soon!”

The project was the idea of Devon Wildlife Trust’s Education Lead, Paul Martin. Paul has been working for the charity for 6 years bringing the natural world into lives of school children throughout Devon. Paul said:

“There’s a growing amount of evidence which shows that being outdoors has benefits for young people, including improvements to their health, and their social and emotional well-being. Forest School activities are especially good at encouraging individuals to build self-esteem, confidence, and resilience. Simply getting children outside in their wellies encourages a natural curiosity enabling them to experience nature first hand. Having Emily and this project will now allow us to extend these benefits to so many more youngsters.”

Clara Govier, Head of Charities from People’s Postcode Lottery said:

“Our players are raising amazing amounts of money for charities such as Devon Wildlife Trust. The charity’s good work helping young people gain better access and understanding of local wildlife and wild places is just the kind of project our players love to support.”

One of Emily’s first outings will be at Devon Wildlife Trust’s half term event in Exeter’s Mincinglake Park on Thursday 1st June. The free event called ’30 Days Wild’ begins at 10am and runs until 3pm. Emily will be joined by a team of other wildlife people offering crafts, trails and fun activities aimed at families who want to go wild.

The project runs until the end of March 2018. To find out more visit www.devonwildifetrust.org or email Emily Bacon at ebacon@devonwildlifetrust.org

Emily Bacon, new Education Assistant for Devon Wildlife Trust

ABOUT PPL
Players of the People’s Postcode Lottery (PPL) have raised more than £197 Million for good causes. A minimum of 30% of the ticket price goes to charities and good causes. Check out PPL’s Charity Draw Calendar to see what charities are supported in different draws and see the Ambassadors who help spread the word about these good causes.

Charity encourages families to go wild during June

A wildlife charity is urging local people to go wild during the month of June.

The Wildlife Trusts are asking people to make the most of the natural world around them by taking part in ‘random acts of wildness’ each day during the month.

The campaign, called 30 Days Wild, is now in its third year and already has more than 35,000 people signed up and committed to taking part across the UK. More than 1,500 from Devon are among the nature-lovers ready to go wild.

Devon Wildlife Trust has announced that it is launching this year’s 30 Days Wild with a special half-term holiday event taking place in Exeter’s Mincinglake Valley Park, between 10am and 3pm on Thursday 1 June.

The 30 Days Wild event organiser is Anya Oliver. She said:

“We’re kicking off this year’s 30 Days Wild with a free event in one of Exeter’s best known Valley Parks: Mincinglake. The event is open to all and we’ll be offering pond dipping, wild crafts, games, nature discovery trails, plus ideas to bring wildlife into people’s gardens. We’ll also be challenging those that come along to do 10 wild things with us in just one day!

To each of the first 100 people to arrive at the event and who sign up to 30 Days Wild we’ll be giving them a free pack containing a wallchart on which they can record their wild month, stickers and much more.”

Exeter’s Mincinglake event is taking place at the Stoke Hill entrance to the Valley Park, close to its car park and Sylvania Hall. The event is being supported by Exeter City Council, South West Water and players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.

30 Days Wild will then continue for the whole of June. Each day participants are being asked to take part in a random act of wildness at home, in their schools and at their workplaces. The fun and quirky ideas are designed to get us all to connect with nature. This year’s random acts include star gazing, building a home for bugs in the garden, taking a lunch break out of doors, enjoying mindfulness in a park or wildflower meadow, listening to birdsong and attempting to learn to spot a new butterfly.

People can sign up to take part in 30 Days Wild by clicking on a special link at www.devonwildlifetrust.org

Devon Wildlife Trust’s Steve Hussey said:

“We want people throughout Devon to use 30 Days Wild as an inspiration for getting to know their local wildlife better. They can spend a few minutes, or a few hours each day enjoying nature - how they do it is up to them. The important thing is to use our ideas for random acts of wildness as a starting point.

In my own case, I plan to stop on my regular commute by bike to work to check on the progress of one pair of swans and their cygnets on the River Exe. Rather than keeping my head down and getting to work as soon as I can, each day during June I’ll be taking a few minutes out to pause, look for this swan family and take in the wonderful wildlife that we have here in Devon.”

The Wildlife Trusts believe that there is a real benefit to our health and welfare from pausing to put a little bit of wildness back into our lives. A study of people taking part in last year’s 30 Days Wild campaign undertaken by researchers from University of Derby showed that a daily dose of nature, even in bite size chunks, is good for you. Their study* found that people who did something ‘wild’ each day for a month, felt happier, healthier and more connected to nature. Dr Miles Richardson, Director of Psychology led the study, said:

“The impact of 30 Days Wild adds to the compelling argument for bringing nature into our everyday lives. Two months after taking part in 30 Days Wild, there was a 30 per cent increase in the number of people who reported their health as excellent. Last year’s results also show people’s happiness continued to improve after 30 Days Wild ended, which illustrates its sustained impact. This is important as it is happiness and connecting with nature that influence improvements in health. Our study also shows that those who benefitted most were younger adults and those who weren’t ‘nature lovers’.” 

 

Fun for all the family #30DaysWild

About 30 Days Wild: Development and Evaluation of a Large-Scale Nature Engagement Campaign to Improve Well-Being. February 18 th 2016 PLoS One. Kelly Tyler, Public Relations Officer, University of Derby on 01332 591891 / 07876 476103 or k.tyler@derby.ac.uk

30 Days Wild 2017 is the third year The Wildlife Trusts will run this national campaign to encourage people to love nature and deepen their relationship with wildlife. Who takes part? In 2016 nearly 30,000 people and organisations signed up to take part including over 2,000 schools. Between them, they carried out over 1.8 million Random Acts of Wildness, exploring, learning about, and acting for wildlife near them. You don’t have to be a member of a Wildlife Trust to take part

Wildlife Charities Ride into Election Debate

Devon Wildlife Trust and RSPB are today calling on voters to ask their prospective parliamentary candidates (PPCs) about how they plan to restore nature in the West Country.

In an unusual move the two leading nature charities will be riding into Plymouth on a special campaign bicycle carrying a billboard with a ‘unique and wild’ election message.

Nick Bruce White, RSPB Regional Director, said:

“We know that nature is close to the heart of people here in the West Country, with both our organisations having tens of thousands of supporters locally. We urge people to talk to election candidates of all parties about nature, how important it is to them and how if elected they will make sure it protected and restored.”

Harry Barton, Devon Wildlife Trust Chief Executive said:

“Wildlife and wild places are critical to the health, welfare and prosperity of people in the South West. The debate around the future of wildlife cannot be allowed to go missing from this crucial general election. Today we are asking that people don’t let their candidates forget nature.”

The campaign’s novel use of a bike-powered billboard stemmed from a passion for cycling shared by both charities’ chief officers. Harry Barton said:

“We wanted a way to reach people, and pedal power fits perfectly with the ethos of each of our organisations.”

Devon Wildlife Trust and RSPB are asking voters to raise four key specific issues with their PPCs…

1. What will your party do to ensure our wildlife laws remain strong and that steps are taken to restore the damage we have done to nature?
2. What will your party do to ensure that wildlife thrives in our seas once more?
3. What will your party do to ensure we have new farming policies in each part of the UK to provide for nature’s recovery?
4. What will your party do to make sure we move to a low carbon economy?

The bike’s campaign billboard leads with the slogan ‘The real losers in the polls’, before asking voters to ‘Let your election candidates know how much nature means to you’. The billboard also states that 56% of the UK’s wildlife is in decline, a figure that headlined the recent State of Nature report which was published in 2016.

RSPB and Devon Wildlife Trust are asking people to find out more about why this general election is so crucial to the future of the region’s wildlife by visiting a special election webpage www.GE2017wild.org and joining the debate on social media using the hashtag #GreenerSW.