Wild About Devon Parish and Town Council February Newsletter: Wildlife Network Event, Birds webinar on Thursday and funding opportunities

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Wild About Devon Parish and Town Council Newsletter - February 2022

Wild About Devon is all about supporting communities and Parish and Town Councils to take action for wildlife and helping them connect up. Wild About Devon comes under the umbrella of the Devon Local Nature Partnership, which includes a range of environmental and other organisations keen to restore Devon's natural environment.

We have set up the Parish and Town Council Wildlife Network to help P&TCs fulfil their statutory wildlife duty, restoring and enhancing local areas for wildlife. Our website has lots of information, with useful links and contacts, to support those starting to, or currently taking action for nature. If you think anything is missing, let us know.

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. And Devon County Council’s environment viewer provides a great overview of Devon's environments and protected areas.

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and join our community Facebook group, to keep up-to-date with the latest news, funding opportunities, events, and more.

It would be great to include articles about what Parish and Town Councils are doing in this newsletter, so please email katrina.crenol@devon.gov.uk with 75 words + a pic. Also, if you have any ideas for ways we can support the network, email nature@devon.gov.uk.


Devon Wildlife Community of the Year Awards 2021/22


Community action animation clip

Communities right across the county are taking action to restore and improve habitats for our wildlife. There are some fantastic projects and initiatives across the county. The Devon Wildlife Community of the Year Awards aims to encourage more communities to take action and to celebrate those communities that are having a real impact in giving Devon’s wildlife a helping hand.

There are four categories, including the Wildlife Parish & Town Council of the Year Award. If your council has been involved in special efforts to take action wildlife in your area, then let us know! Details on how to enter can be found on the Devon LNP websiteThis award is only open to those signed up to our P&TC network.

The competition is open until 15 July 2022.


Wild About Devon P&TC Wildlife Network Event


robin

Initial planning is underway for a Parish and Town Council Wildlife Network event in April. This is likely to be in the form of key topic talks and discussions on nature related issues.

We would like your ideas, and so please email Mike Waller (mike.waller@devon.gov.uk) with any topics you'd like to discuss. For example, best practice dealing with invasive species, or how to manage grass cutting and weeds. We will keep you updated as the organisation of the event progresses.


Updates from across the county


child planting a tree

Parish and Town Council Tree Planting Questionnaire 

Devon County Council, Devon Association of Local Councils, The Woodland Trust and the Saving Devon's Treescapes project are working together to promote and support engagement in tree planting initiatives through town and parish councils.

They have created a questionnaire to establish the extent of past/current tree planting initiatives and to gauge the level of interest (and any requests for support) for new involvement.

Deadline to complete: 22nd March 2022


landmark tree

Saving Devon's Treescapes Landmark Trees

The Saving Devon’s Treescapes project still has some landmark trees available this planting season for parish councils. These also link brilliantly with the Queens Green Canopy to celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. If you’re interested in planting a landmark tree in Feb or March 2022 then please contact Jaz at jatkinson@devonwildlifetrust.org.


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Wilder Communities

Devon Wildlife Trust has an ambition to see at least a quarter of Devon’s population engaged with wildlife. A key part of this is to mobilise community action; to inspire and support communities in creating wildlife-friendly villages, parishes and towns.

The new ‘wilder communities’ team at Devon Wildlife Trust can offer help, advice and guidance to people taking action for wildlife in their local patch. They would also love to share stories of what you and your communities have been up to so get in touch.


verge with wildflowers

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. 

Devon County Council is encouraging communities to manage verges for wildlife (where safe to do so and not in conflict with health and safety management of verges) through the Life on the Verge scheme. Please email nature@devon.gov.uk if you would like to manage a verge for wildlife. DCC will be sharing some of the success stories in forthcoming newsletters.


North Devon UNESCO biosphere pledge for nature poster

Pledge for Nature

North Devon UNESCO Biosphere is launching Pledge for Nature activities for January to March. Activities include putting up a bird or a bat box, creating a wildflower patch, becoming a citizen scientist, and volunteering for nature recovery amongst others! It is currently building their volunteer database - if you would like to get involved with any tree planting, beach cleans or general conservation tasks please complete this short form.


Funding Opportunities


Visit the funding page on our website to keep updated with the latest environmental funding opportunities available to you.


trees in a grass field

Sources of Funding for Tree Planting in Devon

In 2022, there are over 20 different potential sources of funding for tree planting in Devon. They range from individual free trees to large grants for tree planting and have been summarised on the Trees for Devon pages on the LNP website.


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Let's Create Jubilee Fund

Community groups and artists in Devon are invited to work collaboratively to develop new creative and cultural activity in celebration of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022. The Let's Create Jubilee Fund provides an opportunity for voluntary and community organisations to work collaboratively with artists and cultural organisations to produce creative events. 

Application deadline: 28 February 2022


sidmouth

Landscape Recovery Scheme

Applications will open shortly for Landscape Recovery pilot projects: ambitious, large-scale habitat restoration and land-use change schemes to deliver a range of environmental benefit. It is open to any individuals or groups who want to come together to deliver large (500 – 5000 ha) scale projects.


Wild About Devon Webinars


cirl bunting

Taking action for Devon's birds

Thursday 17th Feb, 7-8pm

Speakers include:

  • Dave Smallshire, a life-long birder based in Devon
  • Phil Dean, a member of Brent Birders
  • Jenny Fulton Price, part of the Uffculme community group protecting swifts

The webinar is free to attend with more information and booking via Eventbrite.


We are currently sending this newsletter out to all Parish and Town Councils to encourage them to take action for wildlife. If you do not wish to receive this, please email nature@devon.gov.uk.