Devon's Local Nature Recovery Strategy

Work continues on the statutory Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), covering all of Devon, including Torbay and Plymouth. Devon County Council has used Defra funding to contract a huge team of local experts to collaborate on identifying the necessary actions and priority areas. Work is being done under the umbrella of the Local Nature Partnership and monthly meetings are being held with the Supporting Authorities (other Local Authorities, Natural England and the two National Parks).

Everyone has a role in driving nature’s recovery and it is critical that all stakeholders - farmers, foresters, gardeners, planners, green space managers, schools, funders, developers, non-governmental organisations, community groups etc - are involved throughout this process to ensure the Strategy is user-friendly. Information and views from the experts are currently being collated and processed and mapping methods are being discussed with Exeter University and Devon Biodiversity Records Centre. Over the next six months a wide range of meetings and workshops will be held to discuss and agree on draft priorities and actions and to develop the Strategy website. Formal consultation will take place in early 2025 with a goal of finalising the Strategy in spring.

We apologise for the recent lack of communication; however, Katie Pagan has been appointed as the LNRS and LNP Communication and Engagement Officer. She will keep you updated on developments and opportunities via this Newsletter and Devon's Local Nature Partnership website, Facebook and Instagram pages. If you have any ideas you would like to share, please email the team, reach out to Katie, or fill in the questionnaire on our webpage. A more detailed update on the LNRS will be provided in the next newsletter!

It's Naturally Healthy May!

Spring is finally here, and what better time is there to get outside and connect to Nature?

Naturally Healthy May aims to:

• Raise the profile of the benefits to health and wellbeing by spending time in nature.
• Encourage people of all ages to spend time outside and connect with nature.
• Encourage and promote organisations across Devon to run naturally healthy events.
• Signpost to existing projects, resources, and partner opportunities.

To find out about partner activities this May please visit Devon Connect. Active Devon and Devon LNP will be sharing information with partners on social media, including videos, spotter sheets, wildlife webinars and walking/wheeling/cycling routes. There is also information on both websites with resources and ideas of what you can do!

Invasive Species Week 

Help protect our environment and wildlife for future generations by taking part in Invasive Species Week 20 – 26th of May. Take a look at the full list of events.

The South West Invasive Species Forum takes place on Thursday 23 May. This is sure to be a great event with interesting guest speakers and workshops!

What can you do to prevent the spread of invasive non-native species?

1. Check, clean and dry any equipment used in water.
2. Don't let your garden, pond or aquarium plants enter the wild.
3. Learn how to identify and manage invasive non-native species, and teach your friends!
4. Report any sightings to the Devon Biodiversity Records Centre and the INNS Mapper.
5. Why not volunteer with a Local Action Group working on invasive species management?

To find out more about the Devon Invasive Species Initiative visit the LNP website.

Photo of an Asian Hornet, credit: Jean Haxaire.

Outdoor Classroom Day on Thursday 23 May

Outdoor Classroom Day is a global initiative which aims to encourage children to spend more time learning and playing outdoors. Growing evidence shows that outdoor learning is highly beneficial, supporting a meaningful connection with nature that enhances wellbeing and mental health. It also improves key developmental skills such as critical thinking, emotional growth, and social development. Globally, 12,304,807 children have taken part in previous Outdoor Classroom Days, and lots of schools across Devon will be taking part this year!

Outdoor Learning is one of Devon's Local Nature Partnership’s key priorities and there are resources available for outdoor learning on the website. Inspire others across Devon by sharing what you are doing this Outdoor Classroom Day on social media using @DevonLNP and #OutdoorClassroomDay.

Save the date!

NEED is running an in-person event at Killerton on Thursday 27 June. The day will consist of talks around environmental education followed by a tour of the landscape recovery work taking place at Columbjohn. Details of the event will be circulated through the NEED network and LNP events page.

If you would like to join NEED to keep updated, please email beth.bird@devon.gov.uk.

Community Action Network

Wild About Devon is a Devon LNP initiative designed to guide and inspire community action for wildlife. Through the WAD webpage, communities can access resources and advice from organisations and experts on how to support local wildlife and the Community Action Map allows groups to connect with neighbouring projects. Groups are actively encouraged to add themselves to the map – the more, the merrier!

The February Community Forum in Okehampton was well attended, offering an excellent opportunity for groups across the county to network and share ideas. Presentations from Community Action Group (CAG) Devon, Devon Wildlife Trust, and their inspiring volunteers showcased the strong support for community-driven wildlife initiatives. Attendees received updates on the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, and some volunteers committed to participating in a focus group to shape key messages for the community and Parish Councils.

The next Practitioners forum is planned for September and is open to anyone involved in or supporting community action for wildlife. You can add your name to the mailing list or contact bridie.devonnature@gmail.com to hear more.

Wild About Devon grants are back!

Thanks to the support from the Devon Environment Foundation, Devon Communities Together, and Devon County Council, the popular WAD small grant scheme will continue. This year’s grants will be available soon! Visit the Devon Environment Foundation's website to learn more.

First Tree and Woodland Strategy for Devon

Devon’s first ever Tree and Woodland strategy has been adopted by the Devon Local Nature Partnership to enhance and protect trees and woodlands in the county.

The strategy which includes Plymouth and Torbay, sets out ambitions for our precious trees, hedges and woodlands from now until 2050.

It plans for the delivery of an additional 3,000 hectares of woodland and trees in Devon by 2030, to help achieve an increase in the county’s tree cover from 14 per cent to 16.5 per cent by 2050, meeting the UK’s national target.

The full strategy can be found on the LNP website.

Do you own land and want free trees?

This winter, Devon County Council (DCC) is offering free trees, including grant support for tree planting on public and private land. Currently DCC has access to funding for a range of planting schemes, supported by The Woodland Trust and the Forestry Commission. They are looking for community groups, including schools, town and parish councils that would like to plant trees on their land. Ideally the land should be publicly accessible, or at least accessible to a specific community group (for example, orchards and allotments).

Please register your interest by completing this form, and email Elliott Saloman-Carter for more information.

Devon Climate Emergency update

The Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Climate Adaptation Strategy was published in November 2023. It includes a regional climate risk register and sets out priorities for regional collaboration on adaptation. A new website, www.climateresponse.org.uk, was developed to communicate the Strategy, including resource pages for individuals, communities and organisations.

Devon Climate Emergency is monitoring action against the Devon Carbon Plan and the Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Climate Adaptation Strategy, including identifying issues which are hampering progress so that the partnership can overcome these barriers. Progress reports are being published on the website, as well as examples of how organisations in Devon are Taking Action.

To supplement the latest available carbon footprint data (2021), monitoring indicators have been published, these continue to be developed and refined in partnership with the University of Exeter.

Plastic Free July is coming up!

This global movement helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans, and beautiful communities.

Our communities are working hard to reduce plastic waste. If you're seeking advice, the Recycle Devon website offers plenty of tips and resources to help you reduce, reuse, and recycle at home, in businesses and in schools.