Opera Anywhere to present The Pirates of Penzance in the hangar at Eggesford Airfield

The touring Opera Company, Opera Anywhere, will present The Pirates of Penzance in aid of the charity Send a Cow.   The performance will take place on August 31^st, in the hangar at Eggesford Airfield, near Chulmleigh EX18 7QY.   You are invited to bring a picnic from 5.30 so you can enjoy the fabulous views from the airfield before the performance starts at 7.30 p.m. Bar and delicious Devon ice-creams available.

Tickets £15 and £7.50 for children up to 12 yrs. Available from Eggesford Gardens, any branch of North Park Vets, online at www.operaanywhere.com (fee applies) or telephone 01363 83245.

The Charity, Send a Cow, began in Lapford 25 years ago! For more information visit www.sendacow.org.uk

B10 Event. Biosphere’s partners join forces for the National Trust Lynmouth Fete

The North Devon Biosphere team will be at this year’s National Trust summer fete in Lynmouth as part of the B10 anniversary celebrations. The North Devon Biosphere Reserve is ten this year and they continue to mark this milestone with a full programme of varied events around the Biosphere Reserve. This is an opportunity to promote the work of some of the Biosphere’s partners; The National Trust, The Devon Wildlife Trust and Lundy Island. At the Lynmouth fete on Sunday 25 August the Biosphere team are working with the Devon Wildlife Trust to highlight the importance of Marine Conservation Zones in North Devon. There will be a chance to discuss this crucial conservation issue with the experts at the Biosphere display trailer. There will also be activities for the youngsters including making origami fish and gliding gannets! You will also be able to pick up some of the Biosphere limited edition recipe cards produced by TV Camper Van Cook Martin Dorey. These collectible cards show you some tasty ways of using fresh local North Devon ingredients. There is also an opportunity for visitors to sign up for the fab B10 prize draw! Fete organisers, The National Trust, will be around to let you know about their work in the region and have organised lots of fun events and activities at this lovely, traditional village fete. Have a go at welly wanging, plate smashing, coconut shy, craft activities, treasure island game, tombola and lucky dips. Another Biosphere partner, Lundy Island, will also be at the fete to tell you more about this jewel in the crown of the North Devon coast.

National Trust Lynmouth Fete Sunday 25 August 2013. The fete runs from 11am to 4pm on Lynmouth Manor Green EX35 6EH.

B10 EVENT Woolacombe BioBlitz. Entertainment, education and activities for all.

North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve has joined forces with Coastwise North Devon and a group of dedicated partners to make Woolacombe BioBlitz the flagship event of the B10 programme, celebrating ten years of North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.Thanks to The Big Lottery Fund, Coastwise North Devon has put together this wonderful BioBlitz event in Woolacombe on Saturday 7 September 2013. Working with a group of dedicated partners including the National Trust, the Marine Biological Association and the Devon Wildlife Trust BioBlitz organisers, volunteers and visitors will spend the day surveying the natural world of Woolacombe. BioBlitz will be fun, factual and produce valuable research into the natural environment in this one small area of the North Devon Biosphere Reserve.Bioblitz Project Manager, Coastwise North Devon’s Jim Monroe says: “Planning the Bioblitz is proving to be an amazing collaboration between naturalist groups and individuals from across Devon. Working together we want to provide a fun day out for the public whilst collating important scientific data for future reference. This will be North Devon’s first BioBlitz and we hope that it will engage everyone interested in this beautiful area.” BioBlitz Base Camp will be on the Greensward in Woolacombe, above the beach, and will house the Biosphere inflatable dome classroom alongside informative displays and activities provided by the contributing partners.A full programme of public events will run throughout the day (see list below) to identify and record the plants and animals discovered. The resulting data will be submitted to national databases and form part of the pack of learning material which will be developed from the event. As a flagship event for the B10 programme BioBlitz concludes a summer of diverse entertainment, education and activities with an accessible day of fun science for all.

Woolacombe BioBlitz Saturday 7 September 2013 
Guided Activities throughout the BioBlitz - Start Times and Activity Leaders as follows

• 10.00 Sea Mammal Watch Morte Point Dave Jenkins & John Broomhead
• 10.30 Seine Netting from the beach Doug Herdson
• 10.30 Birds and their Habitats Rob Jutsum
• 11.00 Strandline Hunt Baz Payne
• 11.30 Seeking Butterflies in the Dunes Jenny Evans & Matthew Oates
• 12.00 Seashore Safari at Woolacombe Jack Sewell
• 12.30 Seashore Safari at Barricane Trudy Russell
• 12.30 Dune Plants, Lichens and Fungi Janet Lister, Bob Hodgson & Patrick Watt-Mabbot
• 13.00 Seaweed Search Esther Hughes & Sarah Hotchkiss
• 13.00 Seal Survey from Morte Point Dave Jenkins
• 13.30 Seine Netting from the Beach Doug Herdson
• 13.30 Insect Hunt Tony Barber & Richard Comont
• 14.30 Coombesgate’s Rocks &Lichens Maxine Putnam, Paul Madgett & Tony Holwill
• 15.00 Sea Mammal Watch Morte Point Dave Jenkins
• 15.00 Stream Life Pete Jolands & John Hickson
• 16.30 Sand Dunes for Beginners Pete Jollands & John Hickson

99% Proof makes its public debut in September at The Theatre, Petroc Brannams Campus.

99% Proof - The peoples' musical, is a story of love, betrayal and redemption. Through a simple act of compassion, a jobless hoodie, brings an evil boss to his knees and their salvation. The hero, we badly need today! 99% Proof is a musical about the unexpected, and what can be more so than a homeless, boy in the gutter whose sacrifice redeems an older evil man who gets is wrong. A love story, a socio political commentary and modern rags to riches tale. It is timely against what people are struggling. It's about a young man and an older man and our assumptions. It's about bad and good, and oppression and failure and humour and drunken women. It's about life as we know it now, today, here.

‘So I was writing a kind of socio political documentary, which turned into a play, and then I wrote a song, which a friend of mine said was one of the most beautiful songs he'd heard. 'Write it as a musical', so I did. 18 songs and 22 pieces of intercession later, I had to translate the melody into orchestral score’ Jenny Wilkin Shaw.
People today are struggling again, losing, facing austerity and can't pay the bills, payday loans, bank charges. You name it we struggle with it. Quiet and noisy protests are going on led by the people through Occupy. In every city, there is unrest and no more so than in London, where our story begins. It's a story about hope, and doing what is right, for without those two things we are nothing.
‘I looked all over the place for someone with the instinct and talent and of course the discipline and time to work out arrangement and harmony, and I found the Jedi Knight of all these things, Alan. J. Welch. When he sees a key board, his fingers and his soul find it. It's like an extension of him. Week in, week out for months I went through at least two seasons to Alan's and over coffee the melodies were translated’ Jenny Wilkin Shaw

• A new Musical in 2 Acts - Written by Jennifer Wilkin Shaw
• Book, lyrics, melody Jennifer Wilkin Shaw
• Arrangements, orchestral score by Alan Welch

99% Proof makes its public debut in September at The Theatre, Petroc Brannams Campus. 
Tickets: Price - £10 Ticket on sale now from: www.undergroundtickets.net - North Devon Theatres box offices
Shows: Friday 13th September 19:30 /Saturday 14th September 14:00/Saturday 14th September 19:30

 

Synopsis: London, 2012; against a backdrop of unrest, austerity measures, homelessness and gathering protest, Judin Job is propelled onto our stage. He has lost his family, has no job, no friends and life is desolate. Turning to the Social Services for help, Guard and Go Bells make it worse. Through oppression and taunts, his life begins to spiral out of control. He is told that his only prospects are ‘Murder’ and he is tormented because of his religion, ‘the only star you’ll ever win is stuck to your chest with a jagged pin’, in the form of a yellow star of David. Bills are unpaid and he ends up on the streets under a tarpaulin with his steady but hapless roommate C.J. But, life has a habit of reversing fortune, and just when he is literally singing for his supper, he begins to fall in love, finds unlikely friends and his beautiful voice is spotted by a scout. He rises. On the other side of the city, another fortune reverses. As Guard enters a bar, he gets into a fight and one misplaced action gets him caught up in a fight which leads to him to striking a man and being sent down for murder. Who will help Guard in his moment of desolation? Everyone he knows turns away.  In an act of grace and mercy, which will leave you reeling, it is Judin, the Jewish boy from the gutter, wearing the Star of David of oppression with the jagged pin, who helps. ‘How can it be?’

Cast: 

• Alex Rushton and Angela Elswood, known as 'Rushwood', play the two leads, Judin and Astro.
•  Jack Ince and Elizabeth Daleigh Hayton, who are exciting and natural on the stage play the baddies, Guard and Bells. 
• Boo Hart, who has real emotional presence on the stage plays Capability 
• Nathan Maynard plays C.J, the hapless room mate
• Alex Martin, is born to her humerous part of Ms Wackovski 
• Alicia Fotheringham and Louella Gaskell play Mother and Dr Boot with a sweet tenderness and skill. 
• Jorden Shevells, came late to the cast and his great voice is underused, but he adds a strong male presence to many scenes and has some gripping solos. 
• Ilana Wilson and Zack Hazell are the chorus and gives a reality and beauty to the piece.

99% Proof - The peoples' musical, is a story of love, betrayal and redemption. The Theatre, Petroc Brannams Campus, Barnstaple Friday 13th September – Saturday 14th September 2013

SUMMER BRIGHTS & BUTTERFLY BUSHES

While some of the birds have gone into hiding as they get ready for their Summer moult I have turned my attention to the other countryside critters. My garden is full of Summer bright spots since the Hydrangea, Hebe and Buddleia have begun flowering. Hydrangea are particularly stunning flowering bushes and come in a variety of colours, but their colours seem totally dependent on the alkali or acidity of the soil. The Mop Heads in my garden tend to be blue and I noticed the one cutting I have in a pot with normal compost is pink even though the parent plant is blue. The wonder of the Hydrangea, Hebe and Buddleia is that they attract all the bees and butterflies. The Buddelia is aptly named the Butterfly Bush and today mine have been awash with Small Whites, Red Admirals and Peacocks.You can see more photos from My Garden Today on Flickr

 

 

All photos copyright Pat Adams

B10 Celebrations. Three North Devon wildlife films showing at The Plough Arts Centre

Delighted to be a part of the B10 celebrations, John Butter will be showing three of his North Devon wildlife films at The Plough Arts Centre in Torrington on Tuesday 20 August. B10 celebrates ten years of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve and of course conserving wildlife is an important feature of the Biosphere Reserve. John Butter, from Chelfham in North Devon, has been filming local wildlife for years. Some of the results of this project can be seen at The Plough Arts Centre in Torrington on 20 August 2013, when John will show and talk about three of his stunning natural history films revealing some inhabitants of our North Devon countryside that you don’t normally see.

• Some Like it Hot-ish A half hour film about our 6 native reptiles, examining why they have to seek an external heat source (unlike ourselves) and the many ways that they are endangered.

• Wood for Wildlife Why managed woods are so important for wildlife from beetles to red deer.

• Seasons A visual calendar of the four seasons as reflected in a North Devon garden and wood.

John says: “Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring published in 1962 spelt out the dangers to the environment through the widespread use of pesticides and herbicides. The banning of chemicals like BHC and DDT was just in time to save our birds of prey and attention became focussed on Wildlife Conservation. It was this that motivated me to form Cowley Wood Conservation Centre at Parracombe which operated for 8 years prior to my move to the garden and wood that I now manage for wildlife.” Watching John’s films make you realise how much more there is to be seen around us if only we keep quiet and open our eyes!

Box Office: 01805 624624 - Tickets: £6 Full / £5.50 Concessions / £5 Supporters 
Photo copyright John Butter

B10 Event. Fiona Bates & Jan Sears Exhibition at St Anne’s Arts Centre in Barnstaple

Fiona Bates and Jan Sears will be celebrating 10 years of North Devon's Biosphere Reserve by focusing on our beautiful coastline and what the tide reveals. Fiona Bates has been working with clay for over 25 years and is recognised for her unique and unusual designs. She works from her ceramics studio in North Devon where her work is influenced by the sea and the chance objects that it offers up. Each of her unique pieces is hand built using pure white earthenware or porcelain clays. Pieces are finished in a range of dry glazes, slips and sumptuous gloss glazes. Fiona's work ranges in size and complexity and includes: fireplace surrounds; a variety of species of fish; boats; tiny children’s shoes; wedding shoes; tins of sardines; horses; rams, dogs and cats heads. Her work has been featured in Design Magazine, Votre Maison, The Sunday Times and Homes and Gardens. She has exhibited in many galleries including; the V&A and Crafts Council Gallery London. Jan Sears is looking forward to showing her new work for the first time in this show at St Anne’s "I am happiest when painting, mixing colours and choosing which part of our beautiful coastline to inspire me each day. I have a small studio in my garden with glimpses of the sea; it’s the ideal lifestyle really. Since moving to North Devon seven years ago I have been captivated by the changing seascapes and huge skies. The rushing clouds and tides give me all the inspiration I need.”, “Over the years I have experimented with various art forms, including textiles, drawing, painting and pottery. These skills are incorporated in my latest pictures. I have started to work in a more abstract way and my work feels less constrained as a result. This is the first time this collection has been shown so I’m looking forward to hearing visitor’s comments.”

Work by Jan Sears

Work by Fiona Bates

A mixed media art exhibition of work by Fiona Bates and Jan Sears inspired by the North Devon Biosphere coast and sea.  Open to the public from Tuesday 13 August  to Saturday 24 August  2013. 10am - 4pm Monday to Saturday at St Anne’s Arts Centre, Paternoster Row, Barnstaple.

Free  admission.

Mystery wildlife object catches experts 'on the fly'

Great balls of fire, yes, but great balls of flies? Yet, this was the scene that confronted Louise Davis on a recent walk alongside the picturesque River Torridge in north Devon. Louise, who works as the Water Resources Advisory Officer on Devon Wildlife Trust's Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area project, was busy conducting a survey of a stretch of the river near Torrington when she spotted something hanging over the water from a tree. Louise takes up the story: 'It was about the size of my fist, dangling from a branch. Then I saw several other similar shaped balls all hanging from the same tree. At first I thought they were just debris that had got stuck, but on taking a closer look I discovered that each was a tightly-packed dome consisting of hundreds of flies. I'd never seen anything like it before.' Louise took photos of the balls and showed them to colleagues, but they got no closer to identifying the strange phenomenon. It was only when she passed the images on to Martin Harvey, a leading fly expert, that the answer was revealed. The fly concerned turned out to be Atherix ibis, part of ibis fly family. Martin explained that the flies are known to adopt this strange behaviour, but that it was 'not often seen'. Martin explained that the behaviour takes place when the flies are preparing to lay their eggs. Females come together to form dense balls on branches overhanging rivers. Often these balls can consist of several hundred flies and are frequently formed where flood refuse has been caught in a branch, giving a good base on which the flies can cling. The females then lay their eggs in a glutinous goo and then die, leaving a suspended mass of dead flies and eggs. When the eggs hatch the fly larvae drop into the river's water to begin the next stage of their life cycle. The explanation solved a mystery for Louise: 'My role for the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area is about working with local landowners to improve the water quality of the River Torridge for the benefit of local people and wildlife. This means I'm out doors a lot amongst the beautiful countryside of north Devon. I also get to see a lot of wonderful wildlife at close quarters, but I'd never seen anything like this. Nature really is full of surprises!' 

Photos copyright Devon Wildlife Trust

Nappies in the Park for B10. A special Nappuccino event in Rock Park,

DUE TO HEAVY RAIN THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELLED
B10 wouldn’t be a proper celebration without thinking of the littlest members of our community here in North Devon. On Tuesday 6 August Nappies of North Devon will celebrate ten years of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve with a special B10 Nappuccino event in Rock Park, Barnstaple. A Nappuccino is a relaxed and informal get together for Mums & Dads, babies and parents in waiting. It is an opportunity to find out the benefits, both to your pocket and the environment, of using reusable nappies in place of disposables. As well as running Nappies of North Devon and organising regular Nappuccino events in Barnstaple, Hannah Ashford is a Devon Real Nappy Project (DRNP) Advisor. Hannah supplies a wide range of beautiful cloth nappies as well as providing a wealth of experience gained with her own two little ‘real nappy’ girls. As a DRNP Advisor Hannah can offer free trial kits containing a range of different reusable nappy brands and styles. The kits are available for one month and give parents the chance to try a selection of nappies in the comfort of their own home before making any decisions. As a Devon Real Nappy Project Advisor, Hannah goes through how to use, wash and care for the nappies and will be on hand to answer any queries throughout the trial. Using cloth nappies can save you £500 on average compared to disposables over the time your child is in nappies. Choosing real nappies is also great news for the North Devon Biosphere, reducing your carbon footprint and cutting down on the 28 million disposable nappies buried in Devon’s landfill sites each year. Real nappies don’t contain any chemicals or gels associated with disposable nappies so choosing real nappies puts you in control of caring for your baby’s skin.

Get yourself together!! Alabama 3 live at The Factory, Barnstaple

Alabama 3 will be performing as a full live band at The Factory, Barnstaple on Thursday 13th December as part of their UNDAground 4 Life tour. Best known internationally for supplying the theme to the American TV series ‘The Sopranos’ with their song ‘Woke Up This Morning’, Alabama 3 have carved a unique niche for themselves which transcends considerations of chart success and runs far deeper than the transitory fame of modern celebrity culture. They are undoubtedly the greatest American act the UK ever did produce, and their heady combination of techno and C&W, alongside a proclivity for rock ‘n’ roll decadence and an acute social conscience means that they are effectively a unique entity in modern music

.

They are Alabama 3, from Brixton and beyond…The band’s nucleus of Rob Spragg and Jake Black met towards the end of the 1980s at a South London house party. Still together, and still resident in the heart of their beloved London SW9 postcode, with a fluid and ever changing membership, Alabama 3 are more a way of life than a rock'n'roll band. After major label deals with Sony and Geffen, and an enduring relationship with the indie label One Little Indian, Alabama 3 continued to cut their own groove by starting their own Hostage label. Their headquarters in the Jamm building in Brixton incorporates a recording studio, a club venue where A3 put on their own Outlaw nights in between many other events, and an administrative centre where various managers, promoters and other support staff keep the whole operation ticking over. Working in this grubby mansion, over looking London's most vibrant, music-savvy, multi-cultural quarter, there are DJs, artists, recording engineers and assorted admin and creative types who wander in and out of a warren of rooms with a purposeful air. “We're very proud to be independent,” Rob says. “It's a cottage industry that's been empowered by a form of narcotic Marxism.” And also, it should be said, by a history of brilliant music-making. 2013 finds Alabama 3 in a sombre and reflective mood as they announced their next UK tour in December 2013, the week after James Gandolfini has died.  “Woke Up This Morning” is inseparable from The Sopranos as it grew into the nation’s consciousness and hearts along with the series. As Bob Lefetz observes: “I was immediately struck by "Woke Up This Morning." And when I heard it at the beginning of "The Sopranos"... It's the one intro I never fast-forwarded through, it was a prelude to my Sunday night ritual.” Never standing still the ALABAMA 3 will take new and old material and their “let’s have a party” and celebration spirit to their fans with their annual UK tour.

THURSDAY 12TH DECEMBER - TICKETS: £18.00 in advance
TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM: North Devon Theatres box office
ONLINE TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM:

• www.northdevontheatres.org.uk
• www.undergroundtickets.net
• www.musicglue.com/alabama3

THE BAND
Larry Love – Vocals
Rev. D Wayne Love – Vocals
Aurora Dawn – Vocals
Segs - Bass
Rock Freebase – Guitar
The Spirit of Love – Keyboards
Steve Finnerty – Guitar
Owen If - Drums
DISCOGRAPHY
Exile On Coldharbour Lane 1997
La Peste 2000
Power In The Blood 2002
Last Train To Mashville 2003
Outlaw 2005
M.O.R 2007
Hits and Exit Wounds 2008
Revolver Soul 2010
There Will Be Peace In The Valley… When We Get The Keys To The Mansion On The Hill 2011
Shoplifting 4 Jesus 2011
Shoplifting 4 Jesus [Limited Edition Vinyl] 2012
WHO SAID WHAT
"The best live band in the country" The Guardian
"This is the first band I could ever dance to in the daytime hours without chemical assistance...and that says a lot" Irvine Welsh - Author of Trainspotting and Filth

Fear of wild fires rise

A leading wildlife charity has joined forces with emergency services to warn of the rising risks that fire is posing to some of the region's most treasured landscapes. More than a month of hot weather has left parts of the countryside dry and vulnerable to wild fires. Devon Wildlife Trust has become concerned enough about the risk of wild fires affecting its nature reserves that it's now teamed up with Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service to promote a message about safe and responsible use of rural areas. Steve Hussey from Devon Wildlife Trust said: 'Wild fires can be devastating for wildlife, as well as potentially dangerous for people and damaging to farmland. Heathlands, with their coverings of dry gorse and grass, are particularly vulnerable when the weather remains hot for several weeks. At present many heathlands are in 'tinder-box' condition.' Steve continued: 'Fires can quickly spread and overwhelm sites, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. They are especially threatening to the region's precious heathlands and their wildlife. This is a habitat which has declined by more than 80% in the last 200 years. The few remaining heaths are key places for rare wildlife which includes Dartford warblers, common lizards and adders.' Devon Wildlife Trust is asking people to take special care on all its 48 nature reserves but especially on its heathland sites which include Chudleigh Knighton Heath and Bovey Heathfield nature reserves near Bovey Tracey, and Venn Ottery and Bystock nature reserves in East Devon. The charity is now working with Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service to promote a message which combines responsible use of the countryside with vigilance. Paul Slaven of Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service said: 'We want to remind people to be mindful of the impact and damage that wild fires have on the environment. These fires also a have a further impact, tying up valuable fire resources for some time.' The fire service is advising people to be vigilant in rural areas and follow this simple advice:
* extinguish cigarettes and other smoking materials properly;
* never throw cigarette ends out of car windows;
* don't leave bottles or glass in the countryside - sunlight shining through glass can start fires; take them home or put them in a waste or recycling bin;
* avoid using open fires (including barbeques) in the countryside;
* if you see a fire in the countryside, report it immediately;
* don't attempt to tackle fires that can't be put out with a bucket of water - leave the area as quickly as possible and call 999.
Devon Wildlife Trust's Steve Hussey concluded: 'We are doing our bit to protect our wonderful countryside from the risk of fire. Our staff and volunteers are remaining vigilant, cutting fire breaks and ensuring that fire-beaters are in position. But with 48 nature reserves in Devon we have a lot of ground to cover. That's why the public's help is so important. What we're asking people to do is follow the good advice of the Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service.' The appeal for vigilance comes after recent reports of wild fires in other parts of the country including East London, Essex and Kent. In 2011, a large wild fire also destroyed a third of Dorset Wildlife Trust's Upton Heath nature reserve near Wareham killing many rare plants and animals.

Hot enough to put the washing out. Fold and remove after use!!

Heard a constant cheep, cheep this morning as I was making the coffee. Looked out the window and thought I'm sure I'd brought all the washing in, then realised all was not quite as it seems. This little fella had just fledged and he stayed, cheeping away for 15 minutes. I was beginning to think he was stuck, as I believe they can't fly when they first leave the nest but decided not to assist. Sure enough he eventually (with encouragement from Dad) flitted back into the shade under the Apple tree.The garden birds have been busy since February when nest-building started. I saw my first blackbird fledgling back in the beginning of June so it is easy to think that the breeding season is over when in fact all the birds are back in the nest with another brood. So spare a thought for our little feathered friends, especially in this hot weather, hold back on the hedge trimming, leave a long grassy border round the lawn and leave out lots of  water. I have been watching the Blackbirds in my garden splashing around in a large shallow, tin-foil plate, a successful makeshift bird bath. I put it in the shade beside a bush so they could "wash and go". I have watched as they lazed, feathers akimbo, in the sun and while they had fun tossing a pile of grass I'd left after mowing the lawn, presumably they were searching for insects. All in all wildlife love it when we aren't too tidy.

 

Spare a thought for wildlife as the Southwest Sizzles - Read all about Devon Wildlife Trust's 6 Point Plan 

It is against the law to knowingly disturb or destroy a nest. For advice on wild birds and the law check out the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981

'Spare a thought for wildlife as South West sizzles'

As the region enters the third week of what is turning out to be a real 'barbeque summer', a leading local wildlife charity is asking people to spare a thought, and a little time, to help nature handle the heat. While news that the sun is here to stay may bring a smile to the tanned faces of the South West's holidaymakers, hoteliers and ice cream sellers, Devon Wildlife Trust is asking us to take a few simple, practical steps which may make all the difference in the struggle for survival of the animals that inhabit our gardens. Speaking for Devon Wildlife Trust, Steve Hussey, predicted some losers in the coming weeks if the hot and dry weather persisted: 'Hot weather can place wildlife under stress. The yellow stems of dry grasses provide fewer calories to grazing animals. The heads of wildflowers go over the top more rapidly denying nectar-seeking insects a food source. Worms bury themselves deep in the soil, beyond the reach of birds. Oxygen levels in rivers and streams drop as their levels fall. These and many other side-effects of the sizzling weather can have a harmful impact on our wonderful wildlife.' Steve continued: 'The effects of this long dry-spell will compound the stresses already placed on our wildlife by what was a very cold spring. That's why it is important that we all think about how we can lend the animals in our gardens a helping hand.' Now Devon Wildlife Trust has put together a six-point plan designed to do just this. It provides easy things that people can do on their own patch to help wildlife:
1) Make available constant and fresh sources of water in your garden. Leave the water at different heights - off the ground in bird baths and in saucers at ground level - to cater for birds and small mammals. Keep water sources topped up throughout the day - evaporation will see them empty quickly. Do a final top up at dusk to provide water for nocturnal animals such as hedgehogs.
2) Leave out windfall or over-ripe fruit. The high energy and water content of apples and soft fruits will prove very popular will garden birds, mammals and insects.
3) Let your grass grow. Frequent cutting will increase evaporation rates from grass stems. Leaving it long will provide higher calorific content for grazing animals to munch on and offer a place in the shade for mini-beasts.
4) Falling water levels in ponds are not necessarily a concern. But dried out ponds can have an impact on aquatic wildlife ranging from dragonfly larvae through to frogs. You can top up your pond, but only use rainwater and not tap-water. This will also save you money!
5) Leave trimming hedges for a few more weeks. Garden hedges, shrubs and untidy corners are great hiding places for garden birds and insects. A hedge's dense foliage will offer deep green shade from the powerful sun and give protection from predators.
 6) Finally, plan ahead by planting some drought-tolerant species of plants such as rosemary, thyme, sage and lavender. The long blooming and nectar-rich flowers of these plants will attract bumblebees, moths and butterflies in coming years.
 Devon Wildlife Trust believes that if people follow this six-point plan then the South West's garden wildlife will be in a better place to cope with what promises to be a long, hot summer. However, the charity's Steve Hussey was keen to stress there were positives to the sizzling summer: 'One benefit of this long, hot summer weather is that it offers a real encouragement to us all to get out and enjoy our region's wonderful wildlife. And if you find the prospect of venturing out potentially all too hot and bothering, then nature has conveniently provided a series of beautiful places for you to cool off in. From snorkelling and rockpooling in the seas around our coast, through paddling in a moorland stream, to walking in the dappled shade of an oak woodland - it's at times like this that we really begin to appreciate what nature does for us!'

Photo 'Keep your garden's bird bath topped up during the sizzling summer weather. Copyright Tom Marshall'

BioBonanza for B10 on Northam Burrows

The Northam Burrows Team are running a BioBonanza for B10, celebrating ten years of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve. on Tuesday 27 August 2013 9am – 4pm at Northam Burrows Visitor Centre, Westward Ho! This will be a fun and fact filled day on this special, protected area of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve. Activities will take place in the fabulous inflatable North Devon Biosphere dome and out on the Burrows:

• Bird Walk and Moth Trapping (9.00am-11.00am) 
• Flower Trail (11.00am-1pm) 
• Arts and Crafts (12.00pm-4.00pm) 
• Rockpooling (2pm-4pm) Meet at the Westward Ho! Slipway

In the Northam Burrows Visitor Centre you will be able to add your chosen words to the B10 word cloud and there will be an opportunity to enter the B10 prize draw with lots of lovely prizes donated by local Biosphere supporters including; a wildlife cruise on the Ilfracombe Princess and a trip to Lundy on the MS Oldenburg.

Photos: Inflatable North Devon Biosphere Dome copyright North Devon Biosphere Reserve
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Northam Burrows B10 BioBonanza Tuesday 27 August 2013 9am – 4pm
Northam Burrows Visitor Centre, Westward Ho! North Devon

North Devon's nature lands half million pound boost.....

Wildlife havens across north Devon will see the benefit of new funding secured by a leading local charity. Devon Wildlife Trust has secured half a million pounds to help its work for the future of some of the region's most valuable natural habitats. The funding from Biffa Award's Flagship Scheme, which will be paid over three years, is set to fund the charity's Working Wetlands project in its work to restore, re-create and re-connect the precious Culm grasslands of north Devon. The money was won under fierce competition as Biffa Award's Flagship Scheme funds only two, regionally significant projects each year throughout the whole of the UK. Devon Wildlife Trust's Land Manager, Matt Boydell, expressed his delight at the news: 'We have a track-record of working in north Devon's wildlife-rich Culm grasslands which stretches back more than 20 years. This funding will help us build on this. Our targets are ambitious: we plan to restore 780 hectares of grassland to make it better for wildlife including species such as the marsh fritillary butterfly and the lesser butterfly orchid. We plan to re-create more than 60 hectares of wildlife-rich grassland in places where it is now absent. We'll also be restoring more than a mile of Devon's hedges.' The funding is also allowing Devon Wildlife Trust to 're-wet' 400 metres of the historic Bude Canal at its Dunsdon and Vealand nature reserves, near Holsworthy. The canal's new water-bodies will then act as a vital wildlife resource for dragonflies, frogs, toads and grass snakes. Matt added: 'The funding is allowing us to do work for wildlife which would otherwise have remained beyond our reach. It will give us the opportunity to work with local volunteers, with local farmers and land managers, both on our nature reserves and across the wider north Devon countryside. It's very exciting news for us and for north Devon's natural environment.' Gillian French, Biffa Award Programme Manager, said: 'The Biffa Award Flagship Scheme is a unique opportunity for regionally significant projects to win vital funding. With only two Flagship grants available each year, competition is fierce. We look for truly inspired projects which aim to have a real and lasting impact, and which are either culturally pioneering, or, as in this case, are aiming to make significant progress for biodiversity. Devon Wildlife Trust's Working Wetlands project will play a vital role in recreating and protecting native Culm grassland and rare associated species in Devon, and we are delighted to help it come to life through the Biffa Award Flagship Scheme.'  

Marsh Fritillary Butterfly - photo copyright Chris Root

B10 Event: Torrington Commons Activity Weekend 6/7 July

Torrington Conservators are contributing to the B10 celebrations, marking ten years of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve, with a weekend of fun and fact filled activites. The event will be held on Torrington Commons on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 July 2013 from 11 am to 3 pm

Activities included will be:

• Pond dipping
• Craft activities – including paper making and paper craft
• Leaf and flower identification quizzes – with £10 vouchers as prizes!

A chance to enter the B10 prize draw – a variety of fab prizes including:

• A trip to Lundy,
• Organic veg box from Marshford Organics,
• A potters wheel experience from Tarka Pottery in Little Torrington and much more.

Matt Edworthy from the Biosphere Team will be there in the North Devon Biosphere inflatable dome, to let you know more about what the Biosphere Reserve is and does. The Torrington Conservators will be on hand all weekend to tell you all about the history and importance of Torrington Commons. This is a great opportunity to find out what treasures your local environment holds!

Torrington Commons Activity Weekend 6th and 7th July 

Something to Write Home About! B10 & North Devon Libraries Writing Competition

As part of the B10 anniversary celebrations North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve is holding a short story writing competition in partnership with Barnstaple Library.  The North Devon Biosphere Reserve is a source of inspiration for writers and we are looking for the best stories about living and working in this special part of the country.

There are three themes to choose from:

• Past and Future
• Young and Old
• Town and Country

and three age groups categories:

• Children up to 11 years old
• 12 -18 years old
• Adults

Entries can be made in writing or in audio format – entry forms can be picked up from any library in north Devon. There are some great prizes including tickets to a North Devon Theatres show, Book Tokens and limited edition North Devon Biosphere t-shirts.
Closing date for entries is Saturday 31 August 2013.
Visit the B10 website www.northdevonb10.org.uk for more information and full terms and conditions

Celebrate B10 at Bideford's Community Arts Festival

Community and culture are fundamental elements of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and Bideford's First Friday events are a superb celebration of these. For this very special B10 First Friday, Mill Street traders are spreading the word about buying local, supporting local farmers and growers, appreciating local artists and entertainers and supporting the local community. There will be live music in the First Friday marquee outside Blazey's Cafe with Trudi Mackie-Brown at 4 and the fabulous folk trio Babelfish, featuring Chris Millington, Lisa Sture and John Hextall from 5.30pm. There will be more live music and street entertainment throughout the afternoon along Mill Street and an art workshop with North Devon artist Peter Ward from 4-6pm. Peter will be painting using the Bideford Black pigment which is the subject of a current research project at The Burton Art Gallery in Bideford. B10 First Friday will also present an exclusive opportunity for visitors to get their hands on a set of B10 recipe cards created by Camper Van Cook, Martin Dorey. A great champion of the North Devon Biosphere and outdoor living, Martin has produced five collectible cards featuring delicious recipes using North Devon ingredients. The recipes are ideal for summer barbecues and camping trips but can easily be adapted for indoor cooks! Selected shops along Mill Street in Bideford will be giving out these free recipe cards on First Friday 5 July before they are distributed to libraries and tourist information centres around the Biosphere. Follow the trail and be the first to collect the full set of cards.

Camper Van Cook - Martin Dorey 

B10 & Bideford First Friday Community Arts Festival, Friday 5 July 2013, 2-7pm Mill Street, Bideford

Enjoy a fun-filled family day at Sunrise Diversity Festival.

World music, dance, and a live fashion show from different communities is going to hit Barnstaple's Strand once more! North Devon Sunrise is proud to present a much bigger and better Sunrise Diversity Festival 2013, with some new performers. The fun-filled family day will also include henna painting, Vietnamese nail varnish, story-telling for children, a variety of food stalls and much more.

Date: Saturday 15 June 2013 - Time: 11.00am – 4.00pm - Location: The Strand, Barnstaple, EX31 1EU

MUSIC:

• Percussion Orchestra (African Drums)
• The Wanderers
• Muktar Ahmed
• Dogleg
• Dave Clinch
• Kawsar Chowdhury
• Navila Hassan

DANCE:

• RSVP (Bhangra Dance)
• Wings Street Dance
• Flamenco

OTHER ACTIVITIES:

• LIVE International Fashion Show
• Worldwide Food Stalls
• Henna Tattoo & Face Painting
• Open Yoga
• Story Telling for Children

For more information contact Muktar Ahmed Tel No: 07922 714688 Email: devonsunrise@gmail.com
More details visit http://www.northdevonsunrise.org/sdf2013

Government urged to 'act now' on marine protection

Shoals of public support for marine protection put Government commitment in the shallows. At 12 noon today four leading nature conservation charities will stand shoulder to shoulder to present pledges to Downing Street calling for an ecologically coherent network of Marine Protected Areas. More than 350,000 people signed pledges - often in creative ways, at aquaria and seaside events where they made sand and willow sculptures or created silver-scaled marine creatures. Take a look at the booklet that accompanies this release and see images attached. Locally, Devon Wildlife Trust mobilised its army of volunteers to gather more than 5,000 signatures for the petition at events, at meetings and at its visitor centres across the county. Each one of the signatures adds supports to the call for urgent action to better protect the UK's seas.

The charities are extremely concerned that:

• While there is huge public support for greater protection of our seas using Marine Protected Areas, there has been little evidence that the Government will do this on a meaningful scale for English waters or with any sense of urgency. 
• Following a two and half year public consultation process involving one million stakeholders across England the Government is currently only suggesting an initial tranche of 31 Marine Conservation Zones. The charities and Government's own advisors agree that a full, ecologically coherent network is absolutely vital to ensure the future of our seas. There is uncertainty over how committed the Government is to progressing future tranches of Marine Conservation Zones. All four charities are calling on the Government to commit to a specified timetable designating an entire network. 
• A whole swathe of important marine wildlife is not being considered by the Government. Marine Protected 

Areas are needed for mobile species - such as whales, dolphins, basking sharks and seabirds - in order to create a network that is truly ecologically coherent. The joint petition comes in the wake of the recently published nature "State report put together by scientists working side-by-side with 25 wildlife organisations. They compiled a stock-take of our native species - the first of its kind in the UK - and revealed that 60% of the species studied have declined over recent decades. More than one in ten of all the species assessed are under threat of disappearing from our shores altogether. Protection of our remaining natural heritage is critical. In April, the House of Commons' Science and Technology Committee on Marine Science concluded its report saying: "We were pleased to hear that the Minister is keen to move the Marine Conservation Zone process forward, but we have not seen this intention translated into action. The Minister should not let his priorities be set by fear of judicial review. Further delay to the process perpetuates the uncertainty that has already been damaging to the Marine Conservation Zone project. We recommend that Government set out a clear timetable for designation of this tranche and future tranches of Marine Conservation Zones, with a clear commitment to an end date by which the ecologically coherent network of marine protected areas, as the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009 requires, will be established." Devon Wildlife Trust's Senior Marine Advocacy Officer, Richard White, added his support to the call for action: "Devon's waters are home to a stunning range of marine wildlife, from the humble shore crab to the mighty basking shark. But the picture we see today is a faded one. We know that historically our shores and waters teemed with a greater abundance and a greater variety of life. It is vital that Government acts quickly to put in place a full network of protection around our waters so that we can halt declines and stat to rebuild what we have lost."

The four leading nature conservation charities calling for the urgent designation Marine Protected Areas are:

• Marine Conservation Society - http://www.mcsuk.org/
• Royal Society for the Protection of Birds - http://www.rspb.org.uk/marine
• The Wildlife Trusts - http://www.wildlifetrusts.org
• WWF -  http://www.wwf.org.uk/> .

The House of Commons' Science and Technology Committee report on Marine Science - http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/news/marine-science-report; published its report in April 2013.

B10 Event: First Northern Devon Sustainable Energy Fair

B10 is proud to support the first Northern Devon Sustainable Energy Fair as a flagship event in the B10 programme, celebrating ten years of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve. The two day trade fair will be held at Bideford Pannier Market in North Devon on Sunday 16 and Monday 17 June 2013. This is an exciting and informative networking opportunity for business to business as well as a chance for consumers to find out how they can ‘green’ their lifestyles. The work of the North Devon Biosphere is to preserve both the natural environment and the economic viability of the area and using new and existing technologies to achieve this is crucial. James Craigie of Northern Devon Sustainable Energy says: “Northern Devon has a higher than average number of sustainable energy businesses” and he is hoping that it will lead the way in promoting sustainable living and working. James adds “The aim [of the event] is to bring together all different types of renewable technology under one roof to excite and inspire the people of Northern Devon to adapt to the changing face of energy supply. There are many small businesses that are making huge progress and we believe the word needs to be spread about their fantastic array of products.” The Sustainable Energy Fair will feature all the best suppliers, installers and organisations dealing with renewable energy in the region. Open 10am to 5pm on both days the Fair offers visitors the chance to find out more about a huge variety of energy saving products including solar panels, solar thermal, woodchip boilers, ground and air source heat pumps, wind turbines, anaerobic digestors and energy saving glazing solutions. Adding value to the event there will be a series of talks and presentations on both days:

SUNDAY 16th

• 10.30-11.00 Green Deal (Ampere GDP)
• 11.00-12.00 Atlantic Array (Peter Crone)
• 12.00-1.00 Sustainable Architecture (Clive Jones)
• 1.00-2.00 Biomass and Wood Fuel (Andy Bell - Biosphere Reserve)
• 2.00-2.20 Community Financed PV (Olly Frankland - TRESOC)
• 2.20-3.00 Commercial PV Arrays (Green Deal Installations)
• 3.00 -3.45 Making a home Sustainable (Hector Christie) 

MONDAY 17th

• 10.30-11.00 The Green Deal (Ampere GPD)
• 11.00-11.30 Growing Wood Fuel (Biosphere Reserve)
• 11.30-12.30 Low Carbon Farming (Sam Adams - Soil Association)
• 12.30-1.30 Truly Affordable Housing (Clive Jones)
• 1.30-2.00 The Green Deal (Ampere GPD)
• 2.00-3.00 Sustainable Retrofit (Mukti Mitchell - CosyHome company)
• 3.00-4.00 Biodigestors and Vertical axis Wind-turbines (Renewable Energy Innovations)

B10 Events: Get your entries in now for the Tarka Run Challenge & The Bideford Bay 50K

The North Devon Biosphere Reserve is all around us and as well as providing us with homes, work and community it is a most valuable resource for outdoor sports. Celebrating B10, ten years of North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve, we have two high profile sporting events in our calendar. The first is the Devon Tarka Run Challenge which is taking place on Sunday 1 September 2013 on the Tarka Trail. This is a flat course along the Trail from Bideford to Barnstaple which makes it extremely accessible for all abilities. As well as celebrating B10, the Tarka Run Challenge is raising funds for the North Devon Hospice. This is a social run (and not a race!) Entry fee £15 plus a commitment to raise a further £20 in sponsorship for the North Devon Hospice. Places are limited to 400 so get your entries in now. Visit the website at www.tarka-run.co.uk for more information or contact Simon Paddon by email at simon@coast-coast.co.uk or telephone 07791 906433. The second running event is in a different category altogether! The Bideford Bay 50K on Saturday 7 September 2013 is an ultra marathon! Local sporting event organisers, Beacon Running, have put together this extreme run, up hill and down dale along the North Devon Coast from Hartland to Bideford. Again this is not just a race to prove your fitness, this challenging event is raising funds for the Northern Devon Chemotherapy Appeal. Entry fee is £35 for solo runners with discounts for teams … and there will be prizes! For more information contact Race Director Adrian Colwill by email at beaconrunning@outlook.com or by telephone 07527 536817.

B10 Event: Lundy Splash In! Underwater Photography Competition

Wildlife enthusiasts, divers, snorklers and paddlers here is your chance to enter North Devon’s only underwater photography competition, The Lundy Splash In! This year’s Lundy Splash In! is part of the B10 programme of events, celebrating ten years of North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The competition will be held on Saturday 29 June 2013 in the waters around Lundy. The competition costs £20 to enter and entry fees include one night’s camping on the scenic island off the North Devon coast. Lundy with its unique ecosystem both in and out of the water contributes a special element to the diverse variety of habitats making up North Devon’s Biosphere Reserve. Due to its distinctive marine life, Lundy has the UK’s only Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ) and the first ever No Take Zone. These designations ensure the protection of the marine area and help preserve this unique place for the future. Beccy MacDonald, the Lundy Warden, told us “This year’s competition is promising to be an excellent one, as the seas around Lundy are already teeming with life. The early plankton blooms have already brought Basking Sharks along with an array of jellyfish species. Those taking part in the competition will be spoilt for choice as always, as the Marine Conservation Zone has so many underwater landscapes and species to choose from such as the favourite subjects of kelp forests, mischievous grey seals and spectacular jewel anemones.” As well as a fabulous opportunity to get up close with Lundy's awe inspiring marine life there is a total prize fund with a value of almost £3000!  Prizes for the competition have been kindly donated by Mares, Olympus, Forth Element, Scuba Travel, Sea & Sea and AP Valves. 

This year’s Lundy Splash In! categories are:

1. Mega to Macro: close-up portraits of marine species
2. Marine Ambience: portraying the MCZ and its spectacular underwater scenery
3. Marine Abstract: down to your imagination

To enter the competition please email warden@lundyisland.co.uk for a pre-registration form as places are limited. The Marisco Tavern will be hosting the after-photography party on the Saturday night with local Celtic folk rock band The Dambuskers providing the party music!
Visit the Lundy MCZ website for more information http://www.lundymcz.org.uk/ and the Lundy Company website for transport and accommodation details http://www.lundyisland.co.uk/.

 
Photos: Compass by James Wright (jellyfish abstract) / Into the Deep by Mark Lavington (Diver)
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