Welcome to the Feb 2019 issue of Natural Devon's e-newsletter
Natural Devon (Devon Local Nature Partnership) 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 - see www.naturaldevon.org.uk
Your input needed - Devon LNP Review......
We are undertaking a review of the Devon LNP and your input to this review is essential if we want the LNP to be an effective Partnership. Please follow this link and fill in the very short questionnaire by 8th March. Results will be discussed at the Board meeting on 19th March. Any questions please email sarah.jennings@devon.gov.uk.
2019 Year of Green Action
Recent reports, including from the Institute of Public Policy Research, make it clear that we are facing a global ecological crisis - including climate change, species loss, soil damage & ocean acidification. On 31 January, Michael Gove launched the ‘Year of Green Action', a year-long drive to get us all involved in connecting with, protecting and enhancing our natural world. Natural Devon partners are collaborating around a monthly theme and we will be promoting ideas, events, facts and activities aimed at helping us to develop a healthy Nature Recovery Network across Devon and take action for climate change. Do get in touch if you have any ideas. Share what you are doing on social media using #iwill4nature #yearofgreenaction and copying in @devon_lnp for retweets.
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March - Outdoor Learning
8th March - Devon Outdoor Learning Conference, Improving Outcomes in Literacy and Language: EYFS to Year 6. Jackie Morris (illustrator of The Lost Words) and Eva John, the author of the Explorer’s Guide to the Lost Words, will be running workshops – an opportunity not to be missed Only a few spaces left so book now!
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April - Don't let Devon go to waste!
A focus on how we can build on the momentum around plastics and climate change and all help to reduce our impact on the environment through reducing, re-using, recycling and acting responsibly.
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May - Naturally Healthy Month & Invasives Week
May is our fifth Naturally Healthy Month and this year we are being joined by other SW Counties. Partners will be promoting events and activities to inspire us all to get outdoors, enjoy our beautiful surroundings and feel happier and healthier in the (hopefully!) warm spring air. To list any events on the LNP website please email Jay.Boyle@devon.gov.uk.
13-17 May is national invasives week. Our Devon Invasive Species Initiative (DISI) partners will be promoting action that we can take to reduce the impact of invasive species in Devon.
23 May is National Outdoor Learning day - we will be working to get as many schools as possible involved and outside being Naturally Healthy! - let us know what your school is doing.
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June - Farming and Forestry
In June we focus on celebrating the role that farmers and foresters can play in achieving a Nature Recovery Network and on helping connect consumers with farming through events such as Open Farm Sunday on 9th June. 2019 is the centenary of the Forestry Commission and the Royal Forestry Society is hosting a three day forestry conference (19-21) at Dartington.
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In the wake of media attention on the decline of insects we are focusing attention on our pollinators throughout July.
Nature Recovery - Communities conference
This event will bring together communities and individuals who want to share learning and inspire others to take action and help create a Devon Nature Recovery Network. Talks are likely to include: churchyards, creating and managing wildflower meadows in parks, setting up a Trust, finding funding, training and advice, Moor Meadows, road verges, wildlife surveys, woodland co-operatives, Devon's Special Species, woodfuel and more. Let us know what you would like to hear about! To reserve a place or offer sponsorship please email jay.boyle@devon.gov.uk.
Huge thanks to South West Water for being an early sponsor.
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August - Our Seas and Coast
September - Our landscapes
October - Development
November - Priority habitats
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Natural Capital in the Heart of the South West
Quick update: A number of LNP partners are working on a Natural Capital Advocacy document for the Heart of the South West with the Local Enterprise Partnership. This aims to explain, in plain English, what Natural Capital is all about and why it is relevant to everyone, and help inform actions in the Heart of the South West's Productivity Delivery Plans and forthcoming Industrial Strategy. Natural Capital is a cross cutting theme within the Productivity Strategy. The document will be out soon for comment and to stimulate debate.....
Devon Environment Viewer - any thoughts?
If you haven't yet done so please take a look at the Environment Viewer on Devon County Council's website which has loads of useful spatial information on ecology, landscape, historic environment, flood risk, public access etc. Please send any feedback, particularly on the way that County Wildlife Site data is presented, to: Mabel.Harris@devon.gov.uk.
Naturally Healthy and Social Prescribing (what is it?!)
There is lots going on around this agenda both in Devon and nationally. In Devon we have formed both a small NH Steering Group (Chaired by Dr James Szymankiewicz - LNP Chair and North Devon GP) and a broader Forum for networking. James has been promoting NH at national and local events, we held a workshop last summer with Defra and health & wellbeing colleagues (see pic) and a meeting was held recently with the Clinical Commissioning Group. We are also working to ensure that NH ops are embedded within social prescribing pilots. Active Devon and partners are continuing to develop the Connecting Actively Nature project. To get involved:
Join the NH Forum and come to the next meeting at 9.30 on 12th March at DNPA office. Email tom.mack@activedevon.org to book a place.
Find out more about Social Prescribing Projects near you using the list on our webpages - and ideally link in any Naturally Healthy opportunities that you are aware of. Let us know how you get on. A useful, plain English, explanation of Social Prescribing can be found here.
Let us know about any NH projects not listed on our webpages.
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Natural Environmental Land Management Scheme pilots
We are collating information on NELMS pilots across Devon in order to ensure that everyone is aware of our pilots and that the pilots share information and learning. Information will be placed on the LNP website when available.
Biodiversity net gain through development
The Government recently consulted on whether net gain through development should be mandatory and on how this should be achieved. To find out more see the Defra website. Devon LNP's response is one our website. Further updates in the next newsletter....
Ash Dieback Action Plan Toolkit
On 15 February The Tree Council and Devon County Council launched a national Toolkit at County Hall with attendees from across the SW. The toolkit is designed to assist Local Authorities and other agencies to prepare an Ash Dieback Action Plan to respond to the disease. Devon is at the forefront of the national response to the disease and as such material and guidance produced by the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum is drawn upon heavily.
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Woodland Wildlife Toolkit
A toolkit to help people manage woodlands for priority species has been developed by the Bat Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Forestry Commission, Natural England, Plantlife, RSPB, Sylva Foundation and Woodland Trust.
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Reducing energy costs and carbon emissions - Cosy Devon
If you know somebody who is struggling to heat their home or has a health condition that makes them vulnerable to the cold then Cosy Devon, the local authority energy efficiency scheme can offer help. Advice is completely free for eligible households. Home Energy Advisors can install free simple energy saving measures (such as LED light bulbs, draught-proofing and hot-water cylinder jackets) as well as switch clients to the best energy tariff and help find funding for further energy-saving home improvements. Find out more at Cosy Devon.
The next Newsletter will have an update on the LNP Review as well as updates on Special Species work (crayfish in the Blackdowns, oil beetles on the coast and promoting plants at Bicton Gardens), Wood for Good, Catchment Partnerships, Pioneers, a Devon Nature Recovery Network and other partner projects. Please email jay.boyle@devon.gov.uk to submit articles (ideally 50 words, with web link and a picture).
To find out more visit our website, www.naturaldevon.org.uk, read our Prospectus and please get involved. Contact Sarah.Jennings@devon.gov.uk (LNP Manager) or theme leads (see website)
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