Welcome to the first edition of our new Parish and Town Council Newsletter!

This newsletter is aimed specifically for Parish and Town Councils and will be providing updates on a variety of topics across Devon, including funding opportunities, community projects, and upcoming events. We want to share your news, email us your article submissions, and let us know of any events you are hosting.

In order to receive future newsletters, a member of your Parish or Town Council must sign up to Wild About Devon's Parish and Town Council Wildlife Network by emailing nature@devon.gov.uk with your contact details. Currently, we have 45 P&TC's signed up, so make sure you spread the word!

We are also setting up a discussion forum for Parish and Town Councils which will soon be available to join. For now, join our community Facebook group, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

Parish and Town Council Wildlife Network

This network is being set up by LNP partners, aiming to help P&TCs fulfill their statutory wildlife duty as set out in the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (NERC) 2006. The NERC Act stipulates that public authorities have a duty to have regard for conserving biodiversity through their policy and decision making. Conserving biodiversity can include restoring or enhancing a population or habitat.

Did you know that P&TCs have a statutory duty to conserve wildlife? Taking action for wildlife should be a priority for P&TCs along with pavements, potholes, play areas and planning!

Wild About Devon

The 28^th June saw the Launch of the LNP’s new initiative Wild About Devon (WAD), a brand-new network and support framework to help communities and parish & town councils take action for wildlife. You can begin to explore the available resources on the LNP Wild About Devon webpages.

We have also created an aDoddle map which you can add your Parish or Town Council's wildlife group to to share your projects and connect with others.

Community Webinars

As part of the initiative, we are running a series of webinars. The next few topics include an introduction to planning and wildlife, case studies from Be Wild Buckfastleigh and Wild Chudleigh, meadows and long grass in public greenspaces, and funding opportunities. Let us know what future topics you'd like us to include, and we'd love for you to share your own projects and speak at the events. Email your suggestions to katrina.crenol@devon.gov.uk.

North Devon UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Partnership's new initiative, the Nature Recovery Declaration and Plan, aims to support nature's recovery across northern Devon, ensuring it is recovering by 2030, by increasing wildlife-rich habitats, connecting farming and forestry to nature, and helping communities, councils and businesses bring nature back into towns and villages.

The North Devon Biosphere Reserve's area extends from the catchments of the Rivers Taw and Torridge with its core at Braunton Burrows sand dune system (take a look at their map) Even if only a small part of your parish is in the Biosphere area, they would still really appreciate your support!

You can sign the declaration to join individuals, organisations, councils and businesses across the Biosphere to commit to tackling the ecological emergency through your local actions, and send any comments about the draft plan to biosphere-mailbox@devon.gov.uk by 15th August 2021.

Communities right across the county are taking action to restore and improve habitats for our wildlife. There are some fantastic projects and initiatives popping up all over the place but if we’re to address the Ecological Emergency, we need more! To encourage more communities to take action and celebrate their efforts, we’re launching the Devon Wildlife Community of the Year Awards to celebrate those communities that are having a real impact in giving Devon’s wildlife a helping hand.

The Parish and Town Council Wildlife Award category is only open to P&TCs who are members of our P&TC Wildlife Network. Tell us about your wonderful wildlife project by entering the competition!

Parish Wildlife Wardens

The Action on Climate in Teignbridge Ecology Group is looking for parish-based, volunteer Wildlife Wardens. They are needed to help support, protect and increase our district’s wildlife and improve its chances of surviving the ecological and climate emergencies we face. Wildlife Wardens need to love wildlife but don’t need specialist knowledge, training will be provided.

Life on the Verge in Devon

Our roadside verges are sanctuaries for wildflowers, pollinating insects, reptiles, amphibians and small mammals. They also provide essential green corridors for which these species disperse. And, for many people, wildflowers on our roadside verges provide essential personal wellbeing and contribute greatly to their feeling of wellbeing. Devon County Council are encouraging communities to manage verges for wildlife (where safe to do so and not in conflict with health and safety management of verges), by downloading their free guidance document.

Churchyards

Our churchyards can be incredible refuges for wildlife, particularly in urban areas. We have over 16,000 churchyards in the UK, this is a huge area that nature could call home. However, to get the best out of our churchyards we need to manage them for biodiversity. This may involve letting areas grow to become rich with wildflowers or putting up bird boxes to listen to the dawn chorus. Take a look at our Wild About Devon - Churchyards page to see what you can do to help wildlife.

Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest

The Plymouth and South Devon Community Forest, will be the first newly created Community Forest receiving Defra funding to develop canopy cover across the city and plant up to 500ha of woodland by 2025. The Community Forest is a broad partnership between many organisations. The scheme will receive Nature for Climate Fund funding to develop canopy cover across the city and plant up to 500ha of woodland by 2025.

North Devon AONB Nature and Climate Challenge Fund

Community groups, schools, businesses and parishes are invited to apply to the “Nature and Climate Challenge Fund”. Grants of up to £4,000 are available for projects within the coastal parishes of the Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, an area which runs from Combe Martin along the coast to Welcombe. The fund aims to support the best proposals for communities to do their bit for wildlife, for climate or for people to deliver these objectives.

Community Hedge Fund

As part of their year-long Close the Gap programme, The Tree Council's Community Hedge Fund is now open for applications. They will be awarding grants of up to £2,500 for volunteer Tree Wardens and community groups to plant new hedgerows, hedgerow trees and to gap up existing hedgerows in rural and urban areas across England this winter.

Devon Wildlife Trust - Virtual Bat Walk

Tuesday 27^th July, 10:30am - 1pm

Join Reserves Officer Edric Hopkinson and chair of Devon Bat Group Sarah Butcher as they walk around Bystock Pools nature reserve and the Pebblebed Heaths NNR looking for bats and hopefully other nocturnal night-life such as nightjars and glow-worms from the comfort of your sofa on their Facebook Live event.

Wild About Devon - Introduction to Planning and Wildlife Webinar

Thursday 29^th July, 7pm - 8.15pm

Join us for the second Wild About Devon community webinar where Rachel Tuckett, DCC's Planning Officer, will introduce us to local plans and development management, and Tom Whitlock, DCC's Ecologist, will give an overview of wildlife and planning.