Natural Devon June Newsletter

Local Nature Partnership

Issue No.7

Welcome to the June 2017 issue of Natural Devon's e-newsletter

Natural Devon is a collaboration of all those working to ensure that a healthy natural environment underpins a high quality of life across the county. Please get involved.


Natural Devon Board members - thanks and welcome

A massive thanks to Nicola Bulbeck who has been our Local Authority Board member since the start of the LNP and is leaving Teignbridge District Council this month.  A massive welcome to Iain Vosper, Regulatory Director at South West Water, who has just agreed to represent Businesses on the Board.


Son

Devon and Torbay State of Environment Report

The LNP's State of the Environment Report describes the condition of our environment, discusses future trends, and identifies pressures on our environment that should be considered when making decisions. Devon County Council  is about to update the report and would like to know about any data sets that should be included or ideas for how to improve the report.  Email nature@devon.gov.uk by the 21st July 2017.


ccexconf

Conference - Waking up to Climate Change

A one day conference on October 5th in collaboration with the  Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, the University of Exeter, NHS England and Public Health England Sustainability and Health ambassadors Devon.  Professor Michael Depledge, Chair of Environment and Human Health at the University of Exeter, will be speaking.  Topics include climate change, the impacts on human health and the wider role of nature in health and disease.
See the full programme and book your place 


Naturally Healthy

To find out about our Naturally Healthy Working Group meetings please contact Hannah.colston@activedevon.org or see the Naturally Healthy pages on our website for minutes etc.

Naturally Healthy Month

Massive thanks to everyone who got involved with Devon and Somerset's Naturally Healthy month. Loads of events were held across Devon including workshops for partners wanting to involve new audiences in their activities, guided walks in Plymouth and Dartmoor, rock pool safaris at Wembury marine centre and beginners bicycle rides in Buckfastleigh!

Particular thanks to Active Devon for leading work on Naturally Healthy month in Devon.  Active Devon is currently undertaking a review of the month.  In the meantime please contact Hannah.Colston@activedevon.org.

30w

30 Days Wild

Following on from Naturally Healthy month please get involved in the annual June  30 Days Wild challenge organised by The Wildlife Trusts.

Visit the Devon Wildlife Trust website for details of events.

devonearth

Devon on Earth - connecting community groups with nature

The Devon Community Foundation (DCF) is joining forces with local partners to launch a new fund dedicated to supporting community groups and others to reconnect people with nature.  Sign up to the DCF newsletter via the website to receive future updates on this initiative.


Get Devon Buzzing!

There is loads of work going on across the county which contribute to the Get Devon Buzzing initiative.  To find out more about projects such as Dartmoor Meadows Project and the West Country Buzz project please see our website.

b4b entry

Build for Bees competition is underway

Help pollinators and win great prizes by taking part in the LNP's Build for Bees competition.  The first entry, shown here, has been submitted by the Honiton Bottom Community Nature reserve volunteer party as part of the East Devon countryside team.

Visit our Pollinator webpage for more information.

 

 

In April we were invited to the Toby Buckland Garden Festival to promote Get Devon Buzzing and the competition.  Nicky Scott did some great work in promoting the campaign and his bug hotel received lots of interest, including a request from the Countess of Devon to return to build one in the Estate. 

nspo

Outdoor Learning

This theme is led by the Devon Education for Sustainability Working Group.  To find out more, including meeting dates, please see the Outdoor Learning pages on our website.  

ol

Devon Schools Sustainability Bulletin- June 2017

Take a look at the latest issue of the Devon Schools Sustainability Bulletin for some current news, research, competitions and events about outdoor learning in Devon.

Subscribe to the bulletin to receive future issues.

Outdoor learning magazine - TeachOut

TeachOut magazine has been developed by teachers in North Devon as part of the LNP's  Naturally Healthy Devon Schools project, and offers support for teachers looking to develop learning outside the classroom.  For further details and to order your copy please visit the TeachOut website.

teach
eb

Emily aims to send Exeter pupils wild

Devon Wildlife Trust has just appointed Emily Bacon to help Exeter’s school children go wild!  One of the Emily’s first tasks will be to establish a network of Forest Schools which will offer outdoor learning to schools across the city. She will also work with local brownies, cubs and holiday clubs.   To find out more visit www.devonwildifetrust.org or email Emily Bacon at ebacon@devonwildlifetrust.org


Natural Capital and growth

April 2017 Lecture - Professor Dieter Helm

180 people attended our 2017 lecture on Natural Capital and Sustainable Growth at the University of Exeter.  For those who couldn't make it please Watch the Lecture online.  If you have suggestions for a speaker for the 2018 lecture please email Tom.Whitlock@devon.gov.uk

dhelm

Productivity Plan and Natural Capital

Natural Devon partners are working with the Local Enterprise Partnership and Local Authorities to embed natural capital approaches into the evolving Heart of the South West Productivity Plan.  To find out more please contact hbarton@devonwildlifetrust.org.

butterfly

All the Better For Moorland Butterflies

Butterfly Conservation has been awarded funding for their new ‘All the Moor Butterflies’ project by the Heritage Lottery Fund. The project will run events and help landowners restore and create habitat for the High Brown Fritillary, Heath Fritillary, Marsh Fritillary on Dartmoor, Exmoor and Bodmin Moor.

Visit the website or contact Megan Lowe, mlowe@butterfly-conservation.org 


mussel

Help save the Freshwater Pearl Mussel

Freshwater pearl mussels are in serious decline in Devon and are now only found in the Rivers Taw and Torridge, which are too polluted for the mussels to breed successfully.  A project involving the North Devon Biosphere, Environment Agency, Devon WildlifeTrust and others is working to save the mussels but needs to fill a funding gap and is asking people to help.  To find out more please Visit the website 


ans

Conservation stewards for European sites

The Exe Estuary, Dawlish Warren and East Devon Pebblebed Heaths are all internationally important for wildlife.  Developer contributions from Teignbridge, Exeter and East Devon have been used to fund Amelia Davies and Sama Euridge to help people enjoy these areas without disturbing the wildlife.  This work is overseen by the South East Devon Habitat Regulations Executive Committee.


Sweet Chestnut Blight - South West update

Sweet chestnut blight is a fungal pathogen, entering fissures or wounds on American and European sweet chestnut trees, infecting the bark and causing cankers, wilting and dieback of the stems. Following an outbreak in Devon, six zones have been identified in the South West, with five in Devon, where the movement of sweet chestnut trees and materials will be prohibited.

Further information and a symptoms fact-sheet and pest alert are available on the Forestry commission website to help you know what to look for when inspecting your trees. 


Devon Hedge Week - October 2017

Devon Hedge Group is running Hedge week between October 21st - 29th to celebrate Devon's amazing hedges through a series of events across the county . Visit the Devon Hedge group website for more information and please let the group know about any relevant events you are running.

hedge

Green infrastructure Resource library

In order to share information about the value of green infrastructure the Green Infrastructure Partnership has published the Green Infrastructure Resource Library, an online database of more than 500 publications, case-studies etc.   


awrd

Landscape Advice Note for Neighbourhood Plan

The Devon Landscape Policy Group has produced a useful Advice Note on how to protect and enhance the landscape through Neighbourhood Planning.  The document received an accolade for ‘Excellence in Planning Decision Making’ in this years’ South West RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence.

If you are involved in neighbourhood planning or would like to know more see the Landscape Group Advice Notes.    


trq

Tranquillity makes some noise

Devon is ranked the 6th darkest county in England when it comes to light pollution levels.  Tranquillity is hugely important for our health and wellbeing as well as wildlife and the Devon Landscape Policy Group is working with a range of partners (environmental health officers, engineers, planners etc) to produce an new Advice Note to help maintain and improve tranquillity across the county.  For more information please contact Melanie Croll, DCC Landscape Officer. melanie.croll@devon.gov.uk


To find out more visit our website, www.naturaldevon.org.uk, read our Prospectus and please get involved.  Alternatively contact Sarah Jennings - sarah.jennings@devon.gov.uk