Charity invites people to discover North Devon wildlife haven

A conservation charity is promising a day of discovery at one of its top North Devon nature reserves. Devon Wildlife Trust is staging a Nature Reserve Discovery Days at its Meeth Quarry, near Hatherleigh. The free event is open to all and takes place between 10.30am and 4pm on Sunday 22nd May. Devon Wildlife Trust’s Jo Pullin is the event’s master planner.

She said: 

“Each year we hold a series of Discovery Days to showcase the best of Devon’s wild landscapes and its most exciting wildlife. This time it’s the turn of our Meeth Quarry nature reserve to be the host. We’re expecting good numbers of people to join us to explore this beautiful part of North Devon.” Meeth Quarry only became a Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserve in 2013. It was formerly a clay quarry but ceased work in the early 2000s after 100 years of production. Despite its industrial past the reserve is a wildlife hotspot being well-known for dragonflies, butterflies, birds and deer.

Jo Pullin said: 

“The event will pick up on some of the local wildlife stars. We plan to construct a giant butterfly sculpture during the day. Everyone can come along and help in the building of this mega-beast! Our Discovery Days are designed to get people to connect with their local wildlife. They are a great, free way for families to explore their wilder sides. ”The event also features pond-dipping, a specially constructed nature quiz trail, kids’ crafts and refreshments. There will also be a series of guided walks exploring the nature reserve (leaving at 11.30am and 2.30pm), and special butterfly walks led by experts from Butterfly Conservation (leaving at 11am and 2pm).

At 150 hectares Meeth Quarry is one of Devon Wildlife Trust’s biggest nature reserves. It is also one of its most easily accessible. The Tarka Trail cycle route runs through its heart. Bike trails, footpaths and easy access trails allow visitors to explore. The reserve is also served by toilets and a large car park, located via an access lane from Meeth village and the A386, four miles north of Hatherleigh. To find out more about the Meeth Quarry Discovery Day go to the ‘What’s on?’ pages of www.devonwildlifetrust.org 

 Pond dipping at Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve

Meeth Quary Nature Reserve - Photo copyright DWT (All rights Reserved)

Tap here for more about Meeth Quarry Discovery Day between 10.30am and 4pm on Sunday 22nd May. 

Meeth Quarry, Devon, EX20 3ER Map reference SS 547 078

Haven with A History

Spring at last and we've taken the opportunity to explore the Tarka Trail between Bideford and Meeth.Today we're walking from Petrockstow to Meeth, a now tranquil tree-lined section of what was once the old railway, originally built as a narrow-gauge freight line to carry ball clay to Torrington from the Marland and Meeth clay pits. We step off the Trail into the light and the haven that is Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve. Nature, with a lot of help from the Devon Wildlife Trust, has reclaimed what was once a barren, busy, noisy quarry producing clay for export.

The Devon Wildlife Trust purchased the 150 hectres of Meeth Quarry in 2012 and it opened as a nature reserve in 2013. Today the lunar landscape has been replaced by two huge lakes, grassland and woodlands containing coppiced Hazel and Ash together with mature Beech and Oak. The trees today are just bursting into life and I can see that it will be wildflower rich in the weeks to come a  haven for bees, butterflies and all manner of countryside critters. There are also boggy marshy ponds, pits and gullies which will attract dragonflies and damselflies. We saw a Blackcap high in one of the trees, heard Robins and Blackbirds. Another visitor was excited about spotting a Grebe on the lake, I could just about make out it’s pointy head amongst the Terns.

This was a short sojourn and I hope to return to spend the day exploring the rest of this wonderful reserve which is open to all with bike trails, easy access trails and picnic areas, a perfect day out for families, birdwatchers and nature lovers like me. As we return to the Tarka Trail we walk across to view another DWT Nature Reserve, Ash Moor, according to the detailed sign posts there's a good chance of spotting Red Deer, Orchids, rare butterflies and dragonflies.  (Article P. Adams 24 April 2016)

Peace and Tranquility at Glebe Lake

 

 Devon Wildlife Trust's Meeth Quarry Nature Reserve

Coppiced trees springing into life at Meeth Quarry

Meeth Quarry April 24th 2016

Perfect for Dragonfly Watching

Meeth Quarry 24th April 2016 - A Haven for all

Devon Wildlife Trust's Ash Moore Nature Reserve 

About Ash Moor. "In 2002, at the height of the terrible foot and mouth crisis, Ash Moor was chosen to be a vast burial site for infected cattle. Plans were made and the landscape was hollowed out in preparation. Fortunately, the burial site was never used. Today Devon Wildlife Trust cares for what has been transformed into a wonderful network of meadows, ponds and wetlands. This is now a top spot for wildlife".

 ------------------

About Meeth Quarry is a former clay works located close to Hatherleigh within the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area and the North Devon Biosphere. 'It incorporates six threatened wildlife habitats, supports 18 species of national importance and will provide a haven for a huge range of bird life, making it an excellent winter wildlife-watching destination for local communities '. 

 

Tap here to find out more about Meeth or any of DevonWildlife Trust 47 other nature reserves 

----------

Wikepedia Stub Petrockstow Railway Station  Torrington Railway Station

Tap here to read other posts about Meeth Quarry 
 
Located near village of Meeth 4 miles north of Hatherleigh EX20 3ER
Map reference SS 547 078
----------
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
Fun for the family at Meeth Quarry Discovery Day between 10.30am and 4pm on Sunday 22nd May. 

Boost for beavers as project receives £150k

A national charity which aims to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK through its work with arts, environmental and community welfare organisations has given a major boost to one of Devon's most important wildlife projects.

The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust has provided £150,000 of funding to the River Otter Beaver Trial - an East Devon project which is measuring the impact of England's only breeding population of wild beavers. The funding will be used to support the next three years of the project.

The charity Devon Wildlife Trust is leading the River Otter Beaver Trial, in a partnership which also includes Clinton Devon Estates, the University of Exeter and the Derek Gow Consultancy. Devon Wildlife Trust's Mark Elliott is the Trial's manager. He said:

"The generous support of The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust is very welcome. It gives this unique and important project a firm footing. The River Otter Beaver Trial is a vital piece of work which aims to objectively understand what impact beavers will have on the local landscape and its wildlife, along with the impacts that are experienced by local farmers and the wider communities that live along the wonderful River Otter." Mark continued:

"Many people may have thought that the main task of the River Otter Beaver Trial ended when Natural England granted its licence in January 2014. However, this just signalled the start of a huge amount of work. The trial involves a great deal of scientific study and working with local communities, as well as animal welfare considerations and practical management. This all costs money. We estimate that the Trial will require around £500,000 during its lifetime to carry out its work. The support of The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust is therefore very good news." The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust (PDHCT) was founded in 1999 by businessman and philanthropist Peter De Haan. Since then it has provided £20million to arts, environment and community welfare projects throughout the UK. Peter De Haan, chairman and founder of the Trust said:

"PDHCT has a long history of supporting Wildlife Trusts in their quest to conserve and restore our national landscape. This innovative attempt to revitalise the beaver population in the River Otter has all the elements of a fantastic conversation project: lively community engagement, rigorous scientific monitoring of its progress, and an experienced team to see it through. We wish the Devon Wildlife Trust (and the beavers) every success!"

Eleven wild beavers are thought to be living on the River Otter. The animals and their signs have been seen regularly over the winter months up and down the River Otter from White Bridge, near Budleigh Salterton in the south, to the upper reaches of the river close to the Devon-Somerset border in the north.

The beavers first hit national headlines in 2013 when they were filmed by an amateur film maker. Since then the animals have proved very popular with local people. A series of guided 'beaver walks' to see field signs of the animals drew more than 300 people last year. The River Otter Beaver Trial plans to repeat the walks this summer. More details will appear at www.devonwildlifetrust.org

European Beaver. Photo copyright Ben Lee (All rights reserved)

ABOUT The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust Founded in 1999. 

The Peter De Haan Charitable Trust aims to improve the quality of life for people and communities in the UK through its work with arts, environmental and community welfare organisations. Since then the Trust has donated more than £20 million to organisations working in these areas. Led by businessman and philanthropist Peter De Haan, the Trust operates under a venture philanthropy model, working closely with the organisations it supports financially and organisationally to increase their capacity and impact. Until recently the Trust targeted a significant proportion of its resources towards the youth arts charity IdeasTap, as well as select UK wildlife trusts, and community projects surrounding its South London offices. The Trust will not exist in perpetuity, as the founding Trustees planned for its reserves to be gradually spent over a 20 year period from its date of constitution. The Trust is not open to unsolicited applications.