PRESS RELEASES FROM THE DEVON WILDLIFE TRUST www.devonwildlifetrust.org
*DWT has 11 Local Groups based around the county. All play an important role in DWT's work and are always looking for more volunteers.
*DWT cares for some 40 nature reserves around the county. Most are open to the public.
*DWT currently has over 31,000 members.
*DWT has been protecting Devon's wildlife for over 40 years.

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Charity helpdesk to accept call of the wild Ref: (DWT 23 Feb 2012). A local wildlife charity is this week re-launching its Wildlife Helpdesk which aims to give advice to people with enquiries about a range of wildlife issues. The Devon Wildlife Trust has opened the doors of the Helpdesk which is being run from its offices in Commercial Road, Exeter, next to the charity's headquarters at Cricklepit Mill. Up until now the organisation has run an ad hoc advice service to respond to the hundreds of calls it receives each year. Now with a £10,000 Awards for All grant from the Big Lottery Fund, the organisation has revolutionised the facility to provide a better service to the public, including the creation of a drop in facility for people in the local area. Verity Hunt DWT's Administration Officer said: "We get many calls on a wide range of issues such as planning, wildlife gardening and species identification. It is clearly a very popular and important service we are running but it's been crying out for more funding and more volunteers to help. It's fantastic to now be up and running and to be able to take more calls and for people to be able to drop in to see us. The grant has helped us maintain, improve and expand the service so we can respond more efficiently to more people's requests for information and advice." The service is being run primarily with the help of local volunteers who are using their time and knowledge to help others in need. Alice Waterson, one of Helpdesk's longer-standing volunteers, says: 'Being involved in the new helpdesk has been really exciting. We now have some great facilities here and we will be able to provide a really useful information service to the public. It's very rewarding to be helping local wildlife and in helping local people to learn and understand more about the species and habitats we have here in Devon'. People who wish to use the service can call 01392 260884 email hdesk@devonwildlifetrust.org or pop in weekdays between the hours of 10am and 4pm. For more information about Wildlife Helpdesk visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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Otterly in love at Valentines - public show fondness for Adopt a Species scheme Ref: DWT 1 Feb 2012
Devon Wildlife Trust's (DWT) is offering its popular adopt a species scheme this month suggesting to supporters that it is a great alternative gift for Valentines Day. The adopt a species scheme, launched in 2009 through the DWT website, www.devonwildlifetrust.org allows people to support the Trust's conservation work in Devon, protecting habitats and species for future generations to enjoy. People can choose to 'adopt' from a list of five lovable species: dormouse, otter, dolphin, bat and hedgehog. With each £20 donation, purchasers will receive a soft toy of their chosen species along with a welcome letter, fact sheet, certificate, a postcard of the species, a fun activity book, a pack of six colouring pencils and an update letter after six months. DWT's Phoebe Grubb said: 'This is a great way for people to support our work - adopt a species makes the perfect gift for nature loving adults at this time of the year! The packs come with great little cuddly animals and are a really nice way to show your love for someone special.' The money raised through the scheme goes towards the costs of carrying out conservation work throughout the county benefiting these species and the habitats that they need to thrive. To adopt a species today, visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org or call Devon Wildlife Trust on 01392 279244

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Nick Baker confirmed to open summer Wildlife Festival (DWT 20/1/2011 TV wildlife presenter Nick Baker has confirmed he will open this year's Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) Wildlife Festival in June. The event is just one in a series taking place to celebrate the 13th North Devon Festival. The date for the Wildlife Festival has just been announced and plans are well on the way for making this year's event the best ever. This year will be the charity's fifth annual Wildlife Festival. Following a successful spectacle in Plymouth last year the event comes to Barnstaple Town Centre for 2011. The festival will be held on Saturday 4 June between 10am and 4pm. Jo Pullin DWT's event organiser said: "It's great to have Nick Baker on board again. He had a great time last year making nest boxes and talking to families about his wildlife experiences, so he was quick to agree to come up to north Devon. This will be the second time the festival has visited Barnstaple and it will be lovely to see old faces returning along with new people. We have a winning formula which people seem to love!" The charity is currently writing to local wildlife related organisations in the area to see if they would like to attend the event which will be held at The Square, close to the town centre. This year there are plans for a wildlife parade, along with bird watching on the river, and the ever popular attractions of nest box making, face painting and live animals. For more information about the event visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org . Anyone wanting to volunteer or have a stall at the event should contact Jo Pullin on 01392 279244. Photo Nick Baker

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Devon residents invited to help the hog. A local wildlife charity has launched a new campaign to find out more about the current state of the hedgehog population in Devon. Devon Wildlife Trust is asking local people to send in records of hedgehog sightings in or near their garden over the last few years via its website. There is growing evidence which suggests that the hedgehog population is in decline throughout the UK and this much loved animal is becoming a rarer sight. Although the reason behind this decline is not yet clear, it is thought that the loss of green space in the urban environment one factor. Stephen Hussey DWT's Communications Coordinator said: "We decided to launch this campaign to involve local people in recording the wildlife on their doorstep. The hedgehog is a well known species and it's easy to recognise. People know them as a common visitors to Devon gardens and we want to find out if there really is a problem in our region." Its not all doom and gloom, there are a number of things that people can do in their own garden to help hedgehogs. Stephen added: "From making your garden more wildlife friendly, feeding your local hedgehog dog food and water (not bread and milk), to ensuring your pond is safe for these lovable creatures, there are plenty of things you can do to help. We have lots of useful tips and information on our website for people who want to know more." For more information helping the hog or to fill in a survey form visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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Good Listeners Required. North Devon Museum has been awarded funding from Renaissance South West the funding stream of the MLA (Museums, Libraries and Archives Organisation) to help volunteers capture North Devon's oral history. Although the museum collects objects associated with the history and culture of North Devon, it's also part of their work to collect the stories of local people. Julian Vayne of the Museum said: "Recording peoples stories is very important and gives us a personal account of how things have changed and let's us listen in to challenges, hopes, fears and dreams of people in our community. We're also interested in the therapeutic benefit of telling stories. For older people, especially those in hospitals and nursing homes it can really help them stay mentally active and engaged with their community. All we need now are some wonderful volunteers who'd like to be trained in gathering oral history and reminiscences work! "Anyone interested in getting involved in the project should contact Julian at the museum on 01271 346747 or via email to julian.vayne@northdevon.gov.uk

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Opportunity for local charities at Barnstaple Elephant Day. The organisers of Barnstaple Elephant Day are inviting local charities to come along to the Square and join in with their 4th annual celebration on the 25th June. Charities can raise their own money - the only condition is that their stall or game has an elephant theme. From small beginnings with Trinity Street Residents Association in 2008, Elephant Day is growing into an annual community event that enables families to create and have fun while learning about the finding of prehistoric elephant remains in Summerland Street in 1844. Last year's celebrations, organised by the Museum of Barnstaple and North Devon in collaboration with Ashleigh School, included a variety of stalls, a children's play and a mini parade led by Lampard School samba band. This year the day also coincides with Bugfest, sponsored by Phoenix Learning and Care, and both events are part of the North Devon Festival. Charities interested in taking part in celebrating this unusual piece of local history should contact Coleen Wilkes at the Museum on 01271 346747 or via email to coleen.wilkes@northdevon.gov.uk

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Butterflies bounce back with record numbers (Ref: DWT 12 Oct 10)
Record numbers of marsh fritillary butterfly webs have been counted this month at Devon Wildlife Trust's Volehouse Moor nature reserve in north Devon. This success follows intensive work at the north Devon site. The marsh fritillary is threatened throughout Europe. In north Devon it thrives on Culm grasslands but these have declined dramatically over the past century due to neglect and changing farming practices. Devon Wildlife Trust owns and manages a number of Culm sites and at this time of year counts are taken of the webs which the butterfly's larvae create. The count has recorded an astounding 300+ webs at Volehouse Moor nature reserve, a new record for the site near Bradworthy. Culm grassland needs regular management to stay in the right condition for its rare species. The work to manage this and other Culm grassland nature reserves in the area has been funded with support from GrantScape. The three year £400,000 project comes to an end next year. Gary Pilkington, DWT's Senior Nature Reserves Officer said: "It has been a really encouraging year with lots of adults of this very rare and threatened butterfly seen in flight over our reserves. The news of record web counts at this reserve confirm that all the time and effort we have invested has made a positive difference. These habitats are so rare and what's left of them are so unconnected it is vital that we do all we can to manage them." For more information about the marsh fritillary and DWT's Culm reserves visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org (Photo: Marsh fritillary web copyright Gary Pilkington).

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Marsdens Cottage Holidays Receives Sustainable Business Award
Marsdens Cottage Holidays has been presented with the first ever North Devon Biosphere Sustainable Business Award at the North Devon Show. The accolade is in recognition of their pioneering steps to begin a visitor gifting scheme that provides funds for local environmental projects. Called "Investing in Nature" the new scheme has been set up in partnership with the North Devon Biosphere Foundation to give visitors to the area a way to care for the world class environment. It works by adding just £1.00 to the visitor's bill on an opt-out basis that will then be invested in projects to improve the environment. Marsden's General Manager Martin Wickham says, "Our latest research shows that between January and June 2010 the top holiday activity among Marsdens' customers was walking (82%), with trips to the beach (72%) a close second. Would these visitors come if the quality of our environment deteriorated?" "We are proud to do all we can to protect and preserve the things that people like most about the South West, and that's why we have committed to supporting North Devon's Biosphere Reserve. We took more than 2,500 holiday bookings in the first half of 2010, so with that figure in mind we're confident that over the course of the next few years we can make real difference" 2010 is the first year of the North Devon Biosphere Sustainable Business Award, which has been created to recognize businesses that realise the value that northern Devon's world class environment brings to their them, and that are working hard to take care of such an important asset. Dr Mike Moser, Chairman of North Devon's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Partnership agrees "Tourism contributes a crucial £376 million to the economy of north Devon each year - and our world class environment is the main attraction. With all of today's pressures, we have to invest to sustain this precious asset - restoring hedegrows, planting trees, improving countryside access routes, reducing pollution, clearing litter. The support of enlightened tourism providers like Marsdens to "Invest in Nature" is not only welcome, but essential. We hope many others will follow." Whilst it is early days, the Biosphere Reserve Partnership and Marsdens are confident that "Investing in Nature" will be a success that can be rolled out to other businesses in the tourism sector and eventually beyond to other service sectors. To find out more contact North Devon's Biosphere Foundation on (0)1237 472135

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Young trainees given chance to build new life in conservation
A local wildlife charity is this month looking to recruit two young people to join its Estate Team. The team was established in 2009 with the aim of helping people find work in the field of conservation. The new trainees will join Devon Wildlife Trust's nature reserves officers for a minimum of six months. They will be provided with free accommodation at the charity's Woodah Farm in the Teign Valley. They will also receive a range of professional training such as first aid, chainsaw and brushcutter use, along with the other essentials skills required to become the estate workers of the future. Two of the recruits from last year have already found jobs in the sector following a year of intensive conservation work looking after the charity's nature reserves around the county. DWT's Edric Hopkinson who is looking after the new recruits said: "This scheme is a great way for young people with conservation qualifications, but without experience, to find a job with one of the region's conservation organisations. Being able to offer free accommodation has made it all the more appealing for them. They also provide essential help with the many jobs on Devon Wildlife Trust's reserves, keeping them in the best possible condition for wildlife." The project gained an extra boost this year thanks to a successful membership appeal along with £1000 raised by DWT's Halsdon Local Group. The money was used to offset the costs of providing the volunteer places. The deadline for applications is 30 August. For more information about the posts visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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Culm Advisory Group witnesses progress at grassland demonstration farm (Ref: DWT 13 July 2010)
Devon Wildlife Trust this month invited the members of the Culm Advisory Group to see the progress of the restoration of wildflower rich meadows at its Dunsdon Demonstration Farm near Holsworthy. The group which is made up of staff from Natural England, The Environment Agency, Westcountry Rivers Trust, DWT and FWAG spent the morning at the charity's Working Wetlands Project office at Cookworthy discussing the issues that have arisen over the past six months relating to the management of Culm grassland in North Devon. In the afternoon the group was taken to the demonstration farm where they were able to witness the progress of the series of fields which have been restored from improved grassland back to species rich meadows. The process has been funded by Natural England through the Special Projects scheme within Higher Level Stewardship and has included all the new fencing, gates and hedgebanks that have also been re-created. Devon Wildlife Trust's Becky Aston, who has been overseeing the project, said: "It was great to be able to show off the Working Wetlands demonstration farm which has been coming on leaps as bounds since we did the initial soil testing and stripping back in 2008. This was the ideal time to bring members of the various agencies that have an interest in Culm grassland to show how the pioneering techniques have been employed at the site which is owned by a local landowner. The site was chosen as it lies between two sections of DWT's Dunsdon National Nature reserve and the work will help rare species moves through the area making it more robust. Following the soil stripping we sowed a range of wildflowers and grasses including oxeye daisy, birdsfoot trefoil and ragged robin and we have been pleased with the range of species that have flowered this year." One of the group which attended the day, Rob Dixon from Natural England said: "We were all very impressed with how the sown sward has taken - a great improvement on what was there before. This is a good example of what can be achieved through Higher Level Stewardship, with our two organisations working together and with a committed agreement holder who is keen to improve the environmental value of his holding in this very important area." Working Wetlands has been supported by the Tubney Charitable Trust, South West Water, The Environment Agency, Devon County Council, Devon Waste Management, Grantscape and Natural England. Photo: Dunsdon demonstration farm.

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LANDFILL GIVES BUTTERFLIES A BOOST (Ref: 7th July 2010)
A leading South West conservation charity has this month been awarded £257,469 to help boost the fortunes of a number of fritillary butterfly species on Dartmoor.The Devon Wildlife Trust has been awarded the money (spread over three years) by Viridor Credits Environmental Company, through the Landfill Communities Fund. It will go towards conservation work at five of the charity's key nature reserves: Blackadon, Dart Valley, Dunsford, Emsworthy on Dartmoor and Marsland on the north coast of the county. The much needed grant will enable the charity to purchase an alpine tractor which is specially designed for safe use on steep slopes like those found in Dartmoor's valleys, along with quad bike, enabling them to better manage the sites for these rare and threatened species. The grant will also support training and survey work which will be carried out over the period to monitor the success of the project. The habitat management techniques for much of the conservation work have been developed over the past 20 years by Senior Reserves Officer Gary Pilkington at DWT's Marsland nature reserve. Numbers of small pearl and pearl bordered fritillaries have increased dramatically over that period, bucking the national trend of decline. It focuses on managing areas of bracken to increase room for violets, the fritillaries' food plant, which growing beneath. Matt Boydell, DWT's Land Management Manager said: "This is a significant boost for us and will help us manage these more difficult sites and create and expand the habitats which these butterflies thrive on. The project focuses on the management of south facing bracken slopes increasing spring-flowering plant species including violets and bugle which are the food plants of the larvae and adults."

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Good year for rare butterfly numbers at charity's north Devon reserves (Ref: DWT 16 June 2010)
Numbers of marsh fritillary butterflies at Devon Wildlife Trust's north Devon nature reserves have had an impressive year in 2010 due to good weather conditions and successful winter management work. The marsh fritillary is threatened throughout Europe. In north Devon it thrives on Culm grasslands but these have declined dramatically over the past century due to neglect and changing farming practices. Devon Wildlife Trust owns and manages a range of Culm sites and counts of the butterflies at these during June have shown excellent numbers. Especially good results have been recorded for Volehouse Moor and Stowford Moor nature reserves, as well as at Dunsdon National Nature Reserve. At Meresfelle nature reserve, DWT's most recent acquisition, an encouraging 30 adult marsh fritillary butterflies have also been spotted. It is thought that the combination of good weather following extensive scrub clearance and other essential management work by DWT has been responsible for boosting numbers of the butterfly. This work was made possible by support from GrantScape. Gary Pilkington, DWT's Senior Nature Reserves Officer said: "It has been a really encouraging year this year with lots of adults of this very rare and threatened butterfly seen in flight over our reserves. We had a busy winter getting the sites in top condition to help this species and it's great to see the results. The management for the species also helps other varieties of wildlife that are specific to Culm such as orchids and many birds." For more information about the marsh fritillary and DWT's Culm reserves visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org 10 Photo: Marsh Fritillary Butterfly

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UNIQUE NATURE RESERVE OPENS FOR SPECIAL WALKS (Ref: DWT 7 June 2010)
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) is this month inviting wildlife enthusiasts to a special open day at the charity's grassland reserve at Ash Moor in North Devon. The event is open to all and is a good opportunity for local people to find out more about the work of the Trust and the wildlife havens it protects for the future.The nature reserve open day is being held on Sunday 13 June and will feature guided walks around the site by members of staff and local volunteers. The event runs from 11am until 3pm and refreshments are available. David Ireland from Devon Wildlife Trust said: "Ash Moor is a real rags to riches story, a site that has a troubled past which now has a far more positive future. The local community can come along and see what the Wildlife Trust has done with the site such as managing the woodland and hedgerows and putting in a series of pond and scrapes." "The site is buzzing with wildlife, a recent survey showed there are many breeding birds including tree pipet, skylark, stonechat and reed bunting along with a whole host of insects and plants beginning to thrive at the site so hopefully lots for people to see on the day!" For further information and to find out how to get to the site visit Devon Wildlife Trust's new website or call the Trust on 01392 279244. For more information about DWT's nature reserves visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org Access to the reserve can be made via the Tarka Trail or if travelling by car, the event will be signposted from Meeth with parking on the day generously provided by Imerys Minerals Ltd. Photo: Ash Moor NROD.

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WILDLIFE CHARITY PHOTO COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED (Ref: DWT 25 May 10)
Devon Wildlife Trust's has this week announced the winners of its popular annual wildlife photographic competition.The winner of the adult category was Sally Sharrock of Wembury with a close up of a blonde ray taken at Wembury, near Plymouth. On winning the 1st prize Sally said: "The picture was taken on a Seasearch dive in Wembury Bay. We had surveyed the reef called Porchopen Shoal and I moved down onto the sand to look for life in the sediment and saw the ray sitting there. It allowed me to come fairly close for a couple of shots before I moved back and left it undisturbed. Shortly after, we also found a matching eggcase on the beach." 2nd prize went to Robert Gill of Barnstaple with his study of ferns taken at DWT's Uppacott Wood nature reserve. The Under 7's winner was a photo of a buzzard feather taken at DWT's Bovey Heathfield nature reserve, Under 11's was a photo of Exmoor ponies at Meshaw Moor and the Under 16's was a photo of a moorhen with chicks. The photos, which had to be taken at one of the charity's nature reserves, were judged by a panel of volunteers who were very impressed by the overall quality of the entries. Competition organisers and DWT volunteers Sandra Wills and Miriam Thomas said: "The photos show some of the fantastic wildlife that can be seen on Devon Wildlife Trust's nature reserves. The best photos will be displayed at DWT's Wildlife Festival in Plymouth on 5 June so come and have a look!" Tozers, Rok, Williams De Broe and Eggesford Garden Centre were the sponsors. Photo: Competition Winner Blonde Ray by Sally Sharrock - visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org to view all photos

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GRAZING RETURNS TO NEGLECTED GRASSLAND SITE THANKS TO CHARITY GRANT SCHEME (Ref: 25 May 2010)
Devon Wildlife Trust has this month awarded a capital work grant to agroup of local landowners in North Devon. This grant has enabled ponies to graze a rare Culm grassland site that had been neglected for years. Clifford Farm Cottages near Woolsery are the proud recipient of the Working Wetlands Project grant and have used the money to carry out scrub clearance and install fencing to improve the management of the 2 ha site. The farm was selected as it fell within one of the project's three target areas: Knowstone and Witheridge, Hollow Moor and Torridge & Tamar headwaters. The fencing has enabled much needed grazing to return to the site, allowing better overall management and help to protect key species such as marsh fritillary butterflies which are known to exist in the area. Devon Wildlife Trust's Becky Aston oversaw the project. She said: 'Working Wetland's first priority is to ensure wildlife rich habitats in the Culm are well managed and this grant is a significant step towards this goal. Our small grants initiative is helping landowners carry out capital works, enabling small awkward sites to be managed more easily. This type of work is needed to save such sites from abandonment, scrubencroachment and ultimately losing the wildlife-rich grasslands to more common secondary woodland." Sidonie Ball, of Clifford Farm Cottages said "It's fantastic to see these animals set to work on this special little piece of land and we hope in the coming years the site will be transformed!" The three Dartmoor ponies which are now grazing the site are part of the charity's Grazing Links initiative which brings people with livestock together with landowners needing grazing on their holdings. Throughout the project expert advice from the Working Wetlands team has been available so that best value and gain is obtained for both people and wildlife. Working Wetlands has a total of £25,000 to give out each year thanks to funding from Devon Waste Management. Landowners with holdings of Culm Grassland within one of the target areas should contact the Working Wetlands team at the Cookworthy office on 01409 221823 for information. Working Wetlands has been supported by the Tubney Charitable Trust, South West Water, The Environment Agency, Devon County Council, Devon Waste Management, Grantscape and Natural England. Photo: Becky Aston unloading ponies to Clifford Farm.

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LOCAL COMPANIES HELP BOOST BIODIVERSITY (Ref: DWT 19 May 2010)
This month two local businesses have become corporate supporters of a local wildlife charity, showing that even in tough economic times it is still vital to invest in the environment. Both Devon & Cornwall Housing Group and Evergreen Gardens (based in Chulmleigh) have signed up to membership of Devon Wildlife Trust's Corporate Supporters Scheme. Cat Loudwill, Corporate and Community Relations Officer from Devon Wildlife Trust, said: 'We are delighted to be working closely with these companies. Along with the financial support to DWT, both companies are providing their clients with special offers such as reduced membership of the Trust and deals on trays of wildflower plugs. We are so encouraged to know that even when many companies are considering cutting back, smart thinking organisations know that a healthy environment not only benefits wildlife but also reaps rewards for people too.' For more information about the charity's Corporate Supporters Scheme visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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Landing facilities delay Severn Link service between Ilfracombe and Swansea Click here to read full press release

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Severn Link Press Release Thursday 6 May 2010
Ferry operator Severn Link has completed the two vessel deal with ferry operator Wightlink, taking ownership of the 'FastCat Ryde' which will service routes across the Bristol Channel as from this year. The 34 knot Kvaerner 'FlyingCat' passenger catamaran, which carries up to 360 passengers, has now undergone exterior renovations and repaint and will shortly join its sister ship, the former 'FastCat Shanklin', in Swansea, paving the way for the first modern regular ferry service to link the shores of North Devon and South Wales due to commence this spring. The first ferry, which is currently completing an extensive interior refit in the docks at Swansea's SA1, has been the focus of much public interest, with crowds of people turning out earlier this year to watch it make a brief appearance at Ilfracombe on its way from Portsmouth to its new home in Swansea. The completion of the purchase of the second vessel signals a landmark moment for Severn Link, which is now finalising a series of routes to roll out through 2010. Geoff Metcalf, Managing Director of Severn Link, said, "We are very happy to shortly be able to introduce the second 'FlyingCat' to her new home in South Wales. This is the next major step in being able to commence regular Bristol Channel crossings with a fun, fast and affordable ferry service which will make travelling from the South West of England to South Wales much easier than ever before." Severn Link is currently on the countdown to announce a launch date for the first route to cross from Ilfracombe to South Wales. Schedules, pricing and booking information will shortly be available on www.severnlink.com and through its online Facebook and Twitter channels. Latest Ferry News: 9th June Landing facilities delay Severn Link service between Ilfracombe and Swansea Click here to read full press release

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WOODLAND NATURE RESERVE OPENS FOR SPECIAL WALKS (Ref: DWT 28 /4/ 2010)
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) is this month inviting wildlife enthusiasts to a special open day at the charity's flagship woodland reserve at Halsdon in North Devon. The event is open to all and is a good opportunity for local people to find out more about the work of the Trust and the sorts of places it protects.The nature reserve open day is being held on Sunday 9 May and will feature guided walks around the site by members of staff and local volunteers. The event runs from 11am until 3pm and refreshments are available. David Ireland from Devon Wildlife Trust said: "Halsdon is one of our best woodland nature reserves and it's getting better with each passing year! We have undertaken a series of new woodland management works over the past years thanks to funding from RockETS so this event will give people a chance to see what has been going on and what's new. The bluebells should also be showing in their full glory. They alone make the nature reserve worth a visit." Booking is essential. To book a place on one of the walks, call Devon Wildlife Trust on 01392 279244. For more information about DWT's nature reserves visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org Photo: Bluebells at Halsdon (©Kevin New)

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CHARITY ACQUIRES CULM GRASSLAND FOR NEW RESERVE (Ref: DWT 26 April 2010)
A leading South West conservation charity has this month purchased 35 acres of rare Culm grassland on the River Torridge in North Devon. The purchase is set to become the charity's latest nature reserve. The land which was part of Marshall Farm near Woolsery has been bought by the Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) and is a prime example of the species rich wet grassland of the area. It borders other high value Culm grassland sites at Bursdon Moor and also sits close to one of the charity's other reserves, Volehouse Moor to the east. The new site has been given the name Meresfelle Nature Reserve, a title derived from an old name for the area dating back to the 13th Century. The site is already buzzing with wildlife. Species recorded on the reserve include small pearl bordered fritillary, snipe and adders along with a new record of a rare marsh fritillary butterfly which is threatened throughout Europe. Matt Boydell, DWT's Land Management Manager said: "This site will be an excellent new addition to our suite of Culm grassland nature reserves in North Devon. The site has not been grazed for nearly a decade so it is in need of some appropriate management such as scrub clearance and swaling (controlled burning) but we are excited to be able to secure this land and get to work restoring it for the future." The land purchase is part of the charity's wider conservation work in north Devon through the Working Wetlands project which aims to restore, re-create and reconnect wildlife rich sites in the area. Matt added: "Our strategy at the moment for land acquisition is to secure sites near to our other reserves or in priority areas to help enlarge and connect them to make them more robust to tackle a range of threats such as climate change. We have a highly experienced team of staff that are able to manage these Culm sites and through the Working Wetlands project we are able to advise other landowners how best to manage their holdings to benefit wildlife." Photo: Meresfelle nature reserve

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Charity launches appeal to help train the next generation of conservationists. (Ref: DWT 6 March 2010)
A local charity has this month launched an appeal to raise funds to train full time volunteers to help conserve Devon's most precious wildlife havens.The Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) is asking local people to help support its new estate team. The first group of three volunteers joined the Trust inOctober, and they have been working hard over the winter season improvingsome of the county's best wildlife sites. Each week they are put through their paces, learning how to manage a range of habitats such as heathland, woodland or rare Culm grassland, and they are already making a huge difference. Edric Hopkinson, the DWT Reserves Officer responsible for overseeing their training said "Managing our nature reserves to benefit wildlife can be a really challenging task. Our Reserves Officers have really benefitted from the additional support provided by our enthusiastic volunteers. It's a win-win situation - they are helping us to get our wildlife sites in top condition and we are helping to train the reserves officers of the future." It costs about £12,000 to equip, train and support the estate team each year - the money raised will help pay for our volunteers to gain licenses to use specialist tools and machinery which they use to manage the sites. Anybody wishing to donate can do so online at www.devonwildlifetrust.org or by calling Devon Wildlife Trust on 01392 279244.

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Winter wildlife work completed despite bad weather (Ref: DWT 18 March 2010)
Restoration of traditional Culm Grassland pastures at a number of north Devon nature reserves has been successfully completed this month despite difficult weather conditions. The restoration work has been carried out at Volehouse Moor and Mambury Moor nature reserves, near Bradworthy. Both are owned by Devon Wildlife Trust. The work has been made possible thanks to funding from GrantScape which is helping the charity restore and improve many of its north Devon Culm sites as part of the Working Wetlands project. At Volehouse Moor a long section of hedge has been 'layed' to benefit local species and create a better stock proof barrier. Large areas of willow scrub have also been removed from both sites to help regenerate species of plants associated with Culm grassland. Gary Pilkington, DWT's Senior Reserves Officer, said: 'We have shown over the last few years that this type of work can be very successful in bringing back this type of lost pasture and we are excited to see how these sites will look in the summer months when Culm is at its best. The weather has made it difficult to get out and do the work this year and we have had to plan things carefully to make sure all the work was completed in time for the coming nesting season. Along with the funders GrantScape, we would also like to thank our group of volunteers for their support during these gruelling conditions!' Photo: Volehouse Moor scrub clearance

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ICE CREAM COMPETITION LAUNCHED TO HELP AID WILDLIFE (Ref: DWT 19th Feb 2010)
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), with Langage Farm, is already planning for the summer with the launch of a competition to design a new flavour of ice cream with a wildlife theme. The competition is open to all. To enter, all you have to do is come up with a name for a wildlife-themed ice cream and list the ingredients it would contain. For example you could have vanilla ice cream with dormouse-shaped chocolate pieces and call it 'Dormicecream'. One lucky winner will visit Langage Farm to see their flavour being produced in the dairy - and will take home a year's supply! Once on sale the winning flavour will be sold around the region with a donation from every pot of ice cream sold going to the charity. Rod Birtles, DWT's Marketing Manager said: "Langage Farm proves that local produce can be fun as well as good for wildlife. Farms account for some 80% of Devon's area, and an important part of our work is to support and advise farmers on balancing profitable food production with the needs of wildlife. The ice-cream competition is a light hearted way to remind people of this connection." Langage Farm's Richard Scutt said: "At Langage Farm we have a long and deep association with the Devon landscape and it is important to us to help look after our local wildlife. We are delighted to support Devon Wildlife Trust's work." To enter, send your ingredients list and suggested name on a postcard to Devon Wildlife Trust, Cricklepit Mill, Commercial Road, Exeter, EX2 4AB. Or send an email to shussey@devonwildlifetrust.org Closing date for entries is 6 May 2010. The winning entrant will be announced in the charity's Wild Devon magazine and on its website. Photo: Langage Farm ice cream

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GREEN SHOOTS OF RECOVERY FOR NATURE RESERVE (DWT 23 Feb 2010)
Restoration of traditional Culm Grassland pastures at a north Devon nature reserve has come a step closer as seedlings start to appear in seven fields sown in the autumn. Vealand Nature Reserve, near Holsworthy, is owned by Devon Wildlife Trust. The restoration work began last year thanks to funding from GrantScape which is helping the charity restore and improve many of its north Devon sites in the Culm Measures as part of the Working Wetlands project. The fields covering an area of seven hectares were seeded with a mixture of 18 plant species featuring Culm grasses, sedges and flowers. Prior to seeding the improved fields were deep ploughed, soil stripped and harrowed to a fine tilth in preparation for the seeds. Gary Pilkington, DWT's Senior Reserves Officer, said: 'It's great news to start seeing signs of new growth from these fields. It has been quite a task to get to this stage and we are encouraged with the progress and look forward to the summer when we might start to see the plants in flower.Vealand is well situated to become an excellent example of Culm Grassland being nearby to many other good Culm sites. We hope in time, these painstakingly restored pastures will support many rare species such as the marsh fritillary butterfly.' For more information about the nature reserve visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org Photo: Vealand seedling DWT

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COURSES FOR EVERYBODY(Ref: Yarner Trust 18th February 2010)
There's really good news from the Yarner Trust in Welcombe this year to lift your spirits and welcome in the spring. Yarner would like to encourage more people to enjoy their inspiring courses, and have created a bursary to help fund places on courses. A generous legacy from one of their founders, Tom Welch, has made sure that courses remain within everyone's reach. Anyone can apply and it's a very simple process, so just call Yarner on 01288-331692 or email info@yarnertrust.org and they'll help you get started. All they ask in return is your honesty in paying the full rate where you can afford to do so. Just some of the new courses that might inspire you include Stone Carving, Cheese Making, Beekeeping and beauty products. Not forgetting their popular favourites such as Lime Rendering, Yurt Making and Smallholding. There's also a special 4 day Butterfly Break where you get a mini holiday as well as exploring Devon Wildlife Trust's nature reserve at Marsland. The Yarner trust is in Welcombe, between Bideford and Bude, just off the A39 and is a registered charity.

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FARMER GETS FIRST GO ON CONSERVATION CHARITY'S NEW KIT (Ref DWT 16 February 2010)
Devon Wildlife Trust has this month lent out its brand new Pasquali low ground pressure tractor to a landowner in North Devon, the first to benefit from the addition to the charity's machinery ring.The tractor was purchased as part of the Working Wetlands Project to help with conservation work on environmentally sensitive sites in three target areas of the Culm measures in the north of the county. Lesley Deadman from West Bursdon Farm near Hartland was delighted to get his hands on the specialist bit of kit that is designed to handle rough wet ground, and set up with a flair mower to tackle rush and scrub that commonly invades areas of the Culm grassland that the charity is working to protect. He said: "It's ideal for cutting firebreaks and paths and along fence lines to act as a deterrent against fire. It's an extremely useful machine able to cut small areas and is really easy to manoeuvre. It's particularly very good for reducing rushes." The equipment adds an extra element to the already burgeoning range of kit that the charity lends out, including cattle handling units and trailers all to better enable landowners to manage their rare grasslands as easily and cheaply as possible. Simon Berry, DWT's Grazing Links Officer said: "The Pasquali tractor is light weight, and with the low ground pressure it is able to work in wet conditions as well as on awkward and steep slopes. We could do with another with the current demand!" Devon Wildlife Trust's Working Wetlands project has been supported by the Tubney Charitable Trust, South West Water, The Environment Agency, Devon County Council, Devon Waste Management, GrantScape and Natural England. Rob Dixon from Natural England came along to see the equipment in action, he said: "This is a really useful tool to help land managers keep on top of difficult sites. Some of Devon's most important habitats are under threat from lack of management but many farmers work hard in tough conditions to maintain these areas, many of which are designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest or County Wildlife Sites. This tractor is very light, and with its weight spread over four equal-sized wheels, will minimise the impact of necessary management on fragile grassland. We are already letting farmers know of its availability it's free of charge, and this will be a valuable tool for them to use where heavier machinery is impractical." For more information about the Pasquali tractor and how to make use of the resource, call the Working Wetlands team on 01409 221823 or email sberry@devonwildlifetrust.org Photo: Les Deadman driving the new Pasquali tractor

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CHARITY COMMISION CHAIR VISITS CRICKLEPIT MILL (Ref: DWT 27th January 2010)
Last Friday, Dame Suzi Leather, Chair of the Charity Commission, was given a special tour of Exeter's Cricklepit Mill, headquarters of Devon Wildlife Trust, to witness the work of the county charity. Director of the charity Paul Gompertz led the tour of the historic mill which was followed by lunch with some of DWT's trustees. In the afternoon Dame Suzi was also taken on a site visit to Lutworthy and Affeton Moors to view progress of the ground breaking habitat restoration work taking place there as part of 'Working Wetlands', a project which is working in partnership with farmers in the Culm Measures of Devon. Dame Suzi, who lives in Exeter, has been Chair for the last four years and was delighted to witness the essential conservation work carried out by DWT. "Charities are uniquely important to our society and the Commission has a vital role to play in supporting them, both individually and collectively. Devon Wildlife Trust appears to be working on a very large scale across Devon and it was fascinating to see such dramatic work first hand," she said. Paul Gompertz said: "It was a pleasure to have the company of Dame Suzi for the day. She seemed particularly impressed with the scale of our work here in Exeter and in north Devon where we have been clearing large swathes of conifer plantations so they can revert back to wildlife rich Culm Grassland. We hope she will return towards the end of the project to see how much has been achieved." (Photo: Sir Hugh Stucely and Dame Suzi Leather at Affeton Moor)

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DEVON DORMICE GO NUTS OVER FUNDING BOOST (Ref: DWT 26 Jan 2010)
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) has just received funding to help with conservation work to improve the lot of dormice at a number of its nature reserves. The £4986 grant from the Pennon Environment Fund will help the charity's reserve officers to implement and enhance coppicing regimes at its Andrew's Wood, Lady's Wood, Scanniclift Copse, Sourton Quarry and Dunsford nature reserves in the coming months. Dormice thrive in woodland with hazel coppice, as one of their staple foods is the hazelnut. An autumn diet of these helps keep them sufficiently plump to survive their annual winter hibernation. Although dormice are also found in hedgerows and other habitats, these Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserves are known to be some of their most important and protected strongholds. DWT's Reserve Officer Jackie Gage said: 'The money will help pay for our time on the reserve coppicing the hazel trees so that they are kept in the best possible condition for the populations of dormice. By allowing more light into the woodlands, these activities will allow denser and more species-rich understoreys to develop. This in turn will increase the amount of food and cover available to dormice throughout the seasons when they are active." Over the coming months the dormice on the sites will be monitored using nest boxes and nest tubes which will be put up at the sites with the help of volunteers. This part of the project has also been paid for using some of the grant money. Jackie added: "It's important that we continue to monitor populations in Devon, particularly as we are the Biodiversity Action Plan lead partner for the species. We cannot continue this important work without the volunteer and financial support which this funding gives us." Pennon Group is the parent group of Viridor Waste Management and South West Water and through its Environment Fund supports environmental and social improvement projects across the region and nation. For more information about DWT's reserves and how you can help visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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HISTORIC HEDGES RESTORED AT NATIONAL NATURE RESERVE (Ref: DWT 6 January 10)
Devon Wildlife Trust last month planted a series of new hedges at its Dunsdon National Nature Reserve to help restore the traditional network of small fields that would have once been a feature of the local landscape. The site, near Holsworthy, was planted up with locally produced native species by the charity's reserves team and long term estates volunteers. The hedge species including a mixture of hawthorn, ash, oak, hazel and rowan will sit on traditional Devon hedge banks which were created last year. Gary Pilkington, DWT's senior reserves officer, said: 'These new hedges will provide essential wildlife corridors at these Culm grassland sites. The hedges are replacing ones that were removed through agricultural improvement in the years before DWT took charge of the land. We used Tithe maps from the early 1900s to work out exactly where the original hedges were located.' The project has been supported thanks to funding from The Tree Council's Real Hedge Fund (working in conjunction with the National Hedgelaying Society and Stella Artois). For more information about the site visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org Friday 26th March 2010 Barnstaple children's River of Light lantern procession.Barnstaple school children led by the famous north Devon naturalist Johnny Kingdom will create a 'river of light' procession of lanterns alongside the river Taw to celebrate International Year of Biodiversity. Flying Fish Artists, a social co-operative based in Barnstaple has been working with the children as part of a project to help them learn about glow-worms, which are an endangered species but can still be found along the Tarka Trail. Joyce Reed from Flying Fish says "this project will help to capture the imagination of children and adults alike and help them appreciate and protect the unique natural environment of North Devon" The children have made their own lanterns and have learned a story and songs written by Flying Fish Artists about the glow worm, its habitat and how we can all help to conserve these wonderful species for future generations.The project was Flying Fish's winning idea in a competition organised by Tarka Country Trust to raise awareness of North Devon's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Flying Fish Artists are grateful for the support of John Hardy and the Tarka Country Trust, Matt Edworthy Outreach Co-ordinator for North Devon's Biosphere, Barnstaple Town Centre Management, Barnstaple Town Council, participating schools, Franca Westaway from Art Full and the local police in ensuring a successful event.For further information and some examples of the glow worm artwork, contact Joyce Reed 01271-378781 or flyingfishartists@googlemail.com, or Matt Edworthy 01237 423655, matt.edworthy@devon.gov.uk The procession will start from Barnstaple's main square at 6p.m. as soon as Jonny Kingdom has welcomed everyone. The Children will process alongside the River Taw to Rock Park, over the iron bridge where they are scheduled to have a rest and sing their glow-worm songs to the accompaniment of a 'Pied Piper' playing Irish pipes and possibly a drumming group, and will then walk on to finish at the Tarka Tennis centre. The whole walk should take a maximum of 1 hour.

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A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO TARKA THE OTTER FILMING IN NORTH DEVON IN SEPTEMBER (Ref: NDB 17th August 2009)
The timeless 1928 tale, Tarka the Otter, by acclaimed English author Henry Williamson, has inspired his son Harry to compose and perform a musical tribute to two distinctive ecological regions: North Devon, renowned for generations as "Tarka Country" and now the UK's first new style UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, and the Mornington Peninsula Biosphere Reserve in Victoria, southern Australia. Harry, who composed the Tarka symphony with former Genesis guitarist, Anthony Phillips, will be in Devon this September filming images for an Australian collaborative project 'Precious Music, Precious Water' - featuring the world premiere live performance of Tarka in 2010. The Tarka symphony, in three movements, follows the life cycle of an otter and the flow of water through the 'country of the two rivers', the precious North Devon landscape. "This collaborative project is a tribute to the outstanding natural beauty of these two very different biospheres. My main aim is to draw people's attention to the inestimable value of such areas," said Harry. "My father's magical descriptions of the natural world have opened the eyes of so many to the beauty of England's West Country. I hope our music continues to inspire more generations of people, around the globe." "Rivers link the countryside to the coast and sea. The borders of North Devon's Biosphere Reserve are largely defined by river catchments and Harry's work reminds us all of the importance of water and its role in our culture and heritage. We hope that the Tarka symphony can be heard in the Biosphere Reserve in the near future" continues Andy Bell, North Devon's Biosphere Reserve Coordinator. Click Here to hear an extract from the symphony at the North Devon Biosphere Web Site. Please contact Matt Edworthy (Biosphere Reserve Outreach Coordinator) on 01237 423655 for further details.

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Local county Wildlife Trusts around the South West have benefited from a financial boost this week thanks to funding from a scheme which collects a proportion of the price of bookings from a local holiday company, Farm and Cottage Holidays Ltd based in Bideford.The charities have received more than £12,000 towards funding a series of landscape scale wetlands projects through a Carbon Compensation scheme set up by the Devon Wildlife Trust as an alternative to traditional carbon offset. Matthew Retter from Farm & Cottage Holidays Ltd said: "We are very pleased to see that the program of funding for the wetlands projects is making a tangible difference to the Westcountry's wildlife habitats. This scheme has been designed to ensure that each holiday booking made with us contributes to the work of the local Wildlife Trusts. This forms part of our overall green business aims and we are delighted to be able to work closely with The Wildlife Trusts and make a direct environmental improvement to the region." Tracy Ebbrell from Devon Wildlife Trust set up the scheme. She said: "This corporate relationship is demonstrating that even in testing economic times a key committed corporate supporter Farm and Cottage Holidays acknowledges that a healthy local environment is vital for the prosperity of tourism in the South West. Approximately 80% of visitors to the region state that the main reason for their visit is the environment, therefore it is essential that more investment supports building a more robust landscape." For more information about the scheme visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org and click on 'Corporate Supporters scheme' Photo: Mathew Retter from Farm and Cottage Holidays

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NORTH DEVON MARINE ORAL HISTORIES GO LIVE (DWT Ref 6th April 2009)
An oral history project in North Devon has this week gone live on the internet giving people the chance to find out about changes to marine and coastal wildlife in North Devon and Torridge within living memory. The project was set up by the Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) and run by conservation group Coastwise North Devon. The group interviewed around 20 local residents from a wide range of occupations, interests and backgrounds. A selection of the oral histories has now been documented on the Devon Wildlife Trust website for people to download and listen to. Over 350 photographs and other material were also contributed to the project. Cat Jones, Marine Awareness Officer for north Devon said; "This venture has been a real success and even though the funding period has now come to an end Coastwise North Devon have enjoyed the experience so much they plan to develop the project further in the coming months. It has been fascinating to delve back into people's memories of what the seas around our coasts used to be like, even just a few decades ago! For example people can find out about the changes in birds and dolphins, the huge Clovelly herring catches that once took place and how driftwood was once used for fuel. If it wasn't for these types of projects the history of the seas might be lost forever and we would never know how rich our marine wildlife used to be and could be again." The information gathered will be used by DWT to put a local view on the national picture of the state of our seas outlined by Professor Callum Roberts of York University, in his book, The Unnatural History of the Sea. The book highlights the significant decline in marine species around the UK due primarily to human impacts. A selection of the recordings is now available on the charity's website and can be downloaded from www.devonwildlifetrust.org. The oral histories are part of Devon Wildlife Trust's 'Living Seas' project which has been funded thanks to a £6,000 grant from the North Devon AONB Sustainable Development Fund.

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FOREST CLEARED TO CREATE CULM GRASSLAND (DWT Ref 23/2/09)
Devon Wildlife Trust has this month overseen the clearance of 30 hectares of Sitka spruce plantation in North Devon. The project is part of the charity's Working Wetlands project which aims to recreate rare Culm Grassland across the region. The areas at Lutworthy and Cuddenhay Moors near Chulmleigh have been clear felled over the past few months using timber harvesters. The project was initiated by Butterfly Conservation to recreate new habitat for many rare species particularly the threatened marsh fritillary butterfly which has a stronghold in the Culm. Dr Caroline Bulman from Butterfly Conservation said: "The marsh fritillary is one of our most threatened butterflies. The important Culm Grassland that will be created here will help to support this rapidly declining butterfly across Devon". Only 4000 hectares of Culm Grassland remain and Devon holds the majority of what is left. The habitat has seen major declines over the past few decades due to agricultural improvement and as in this case forestry. 50% was lost between 1984 and 1991. Devon Wildlife Trust's Peter Burgess oversaw the project. He said: 'It is great to see the culmination of over three years of joint working with the landowner Sir Hugh Stucley, Butterfly Conservation and Natural England who have funded the works through the Environmental Stewardship Scheme. We used WW2 aerial photography to help us target sites that could be restored in this way. The maps show the area as large swathes of Culm Grassland so we are confident it will restore if the crop of Sitka spruce trees are harvested. It might look a bit of a mess at the moment but given a season or two we expect these sites to revert to wild flower rich Culm Grasslands.' Rob Dixon, the Natural England Adviser responsible for this agreement said: 'This is a fine example of the achievements to be made through partnership working. It is an exciting and ambitious project. We are fortunate to be involved with a landowner who is committed to environmental improvement and keen to restore the area's wildlife and landscape to how he knew it many years ago.' Another area of 23 hectares is about to undergo the same treatment in the coming months at nearby Odam Moor. Working Wetlands is a 5 year landscape scale project supported by the Tubney Charitable Trust, South West Water, The Environment Agency, Devon County Council, Devon Waste Management, Grantscape, Butterfly Conservation and Natural England.

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FIRST BUSINESS SIGNS UP TO WILDLIFE CHARITY'S NEW ALTERNATIVE TO CARBON OFFSETTING (Ref 14/8/08)
Wildlife Charity Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) based at Cricklepit Mill, Exeter has just signed up its first corporate supporter to its exciting new alternative to carbon offsetting. Carbon Compensation is a new way for businesses to help demonstrate their commitment to making a difference to the environment and climate change by investing in local and long term projects. Farm and Cottage Holidays based in Northam, Devon have pledged to donate 10% of its booking fee to the charity rather than investing into a conventional carbon offset scheme. One of the main initiatives to benefit will be the new Working Wetlands project that aims to restore the wet Culm Grasslands of North Devon. These are some of the rarest and most vital habitats in the country and as well as supporting a range of species also act as effective carbon sinks. Internationally wetlands may store as much as 40% of the global terrestrial carbon. Tracy Ebbrell, DWT's Corporate Relations Officer said: 'We are delighted that Farm and Cottage Holidays have recognised the value in supporting the work of the Wildlife Trusts in the region. It is critical that we hold on to the carbon sinks the region has such as our Culm Grasslands. It is estimated that by the middle of this century emissions from wetlands and peat bogs could be as big a source of Co2 to the atmosphere as burning fossil fuels.' Farm and Cottages Holidays are one of the largest agents of holiday cottages in the South West. James Morris, MD of Farm and Cottage Holidays said 'We are delighted at Farm & Cottage Holidays to be working with Devon Wildlife Trust as the work they do directly benefits the whole West Country. This in turn enhances and preserves the rich diversity of the wildlife and countryside which will make the region so popular to visitors coming back year after year.' Devon Wildlife Trust is keen for other businesses to commit to Carbon Compensation, a local, long term and effective alternative to a standard offset scheme. For more information about Carbon Compensation call Tracy Ebbrell on 01392 260858 or email tebbrell@devonwildlifetrust.org (Photo: Mathew Retter from Farm & Country Cottages and Tracy Ebbrell from DWT)

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NORTH DEVON WOODLAND GETS BUG BENCH (Ref 15/08/08)
Gardeners from Yeo Valley Community Woodland will next week be installing a new feature to help attract more people and wildlife to the site. Created by members of the public earlier in the year at Devon Wildlife Trust's Wildlife Festival, the new 'Bug Bench' is set to be a useful and interesting addition to the woodland. The frame of the bench has been constructed out of wood and forms a number of individual compartments which have been filled with an array twigs, rocks, old flower pots, broken bricks and bark to create micro habitats for a range of creatures. Devon Wildlife Trust's (DWT) wildlife gardening expert John Hayward who has been designing similar structures for a number of other public spaces and gardens around Devon said: 'We hope this new bench will be a visible example of what people can do on their own patch to help encourage more wildlife. You don't have to build on this scale at home though. A simple rock or woodpile in the corner of your garden can make a great home for various mini beasts such as butterflies, solitary bees, spiders, beetles and ladybirds. With more and more of our beloved insect species in decline its important for people to take steps to help them, whatever size garden they have!' The woodland is owned and managed by North Devon Council Lead Member for Community and Spatial Planning, Cllr Des Brailey, says: 'This is the latest addition to the already thriving Community Woodland at Yeo Valley. The bug bench is a great idea - it will encourage more wildlife to the area, and provide somewhere for people to sit and enjoy the woodland.' For more information about how to do more for wildlife in your garden, visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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LOCAL FARMERS GET BOOST FROM APPROVAL SCHEME (Ref 30 July 08)
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) has this month been giving recognition to local farmers who have made effort to diversify and encourage more wildlife to their land holding through the charity's free Approval Scheme.The charity has been working with 43 businesses during the past year as part of its Confidence in the Countryside project. There were 10 businesses that achieved the highest gold standard, 26 won silver and 7 got bronze.One of the gold winners was Westlake Farm near Chilla. Along with self catering they run an award winning apple juice and cider business. George Travis from the farm said: 'The Confidence in the Countryside Project run by DWT has given us a strategy to manage the farm and business in a more environmentally friendly way. Already we have seen an increase in the biodiversity around the farm. Early mornings are filled with birdsong and visitors are amazed at the number and variety of wildflowers and butterflies in the Culm meadow. Dragonflies and damselflies fly over the reconstructed pond on sunny afternoons.''In the evenings bats take over from swallows in the hunt for insects around the farm yard. Barn owls, which have been absent for a few years, are now regularly seen at dusk patrolling rough grassland and have been the highlight for many visitors staying on the farm." Over the year, other farmers in North-west and Mid Devon have also been busy creating new biodiversity action plan habitat such as orchards, creating trails, working with school groups along with a myriad of other improvements to their accommodation all to gain the highest award possible. With the bronze, silver or gold awards the landowners will now be able to use the recognisable Devon Wildlife Trust approval scheme logo as part of the marketing of their business. This free marketing support also includes advertising on the Devon Wildlife Trust website and a framed certificate to display. David Leach DWT's Project Officer said: "Working with farmers is vital to Devon Wildlife Trust if we are to make the county richer in wildlife. You think you know Devon but some of the farms we have been working with are places that no-one else gets to and they are something special, particularly in the mornings & evenings when the wildlife is coming out to play. We really do encourage people to have a look at some of our new approved business and have a holiday at home." The project has now come to the end of its funding. The project was set up in 2002 with support from DEFRA's Vocational Training Scheme (part of the England Rural Development Programme) as part of DWT's Green Gateway project which was funded by Devon Waste Management and English Nature. DWT's work in this area continues with the new five year Working Wetlands project. For more information about the farms involved visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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DEVONSHIRE MOTORS DONATES 4x4 TO NEW CONSERVATION PROJECT 25 July 2008
Devonshire Motors based in Barnstaple have donated a Mitsubishi Shogun along with the lease of a Mitsubishi Colt to be used by Devon Wildlife Trust's Working Wetlands project officers for site visits, events and conservation work through the 'Grazing Links' initiative. The donation has also meant that Devonshire Motors have become an official Corporate Supporter of Devon Wildlife Trust and the charity was delighted to present the company with a certificate at the official handover. Sales Director, Barry Brettell, said "Devonshire Motors has been a name synonymous with Mitsubishi in North Devon for over 25 years; today we are one of the most successful car dealerships in North Devon and are currently one of the top performing Mitsubishi franchises in the country. We were recently voted 3rd in a national customer satisfaction survey and were the top dealer in the South West". "We are really pleased with the level of success we have achieved in our area and what better way to celebrate than to be able to provide Devon Wildlife Trust, who do such great work to conserve our local wildlife, with a really good working vehicle. We hope that this rugged offroader will help them perform their vital day to day duties in comfort and with confidence." Devon Wildlife Trust's (DWT) Working Wetlands project will be the charity's biggest project to date. It is a five year project which aims to save the remaining Culm Grassland of North and West Devon. The project aims to restore, recreate and reconnect large areas of this rare habitat. 92% has been lost since the beginning of the 20th Century, mainly through agricultural improvement. The project aims to secure over 2000 hectares of Culm grassland in good condition by 2013 within three priority areas, Upper Tamar/Torridge Headwaters, Hollow & Odham Moors and Rackenford & Knowstone Moors. Working Wetlands will also reconnect important wildlife areas by restoring associated key habitats that provide essential links to the Culm sites. The project includes a team of five advisors that will be out on the ground talking to landowners and providing grants to help support the management of priority habitats. The project is managed by DWT's Peter Burgess, he said: "This is such a big donation for us it will make a huge difference to our working life as we start our new project. The Grazing Links project really needed a four wheel drive vehicle to help transport and tow essential machinery. We would like to thank Devonshire Motors for this generous donation." The project has been supported by the Tubney Charitable Trust, South West Water, Devon Waste Management, Grantscape and Natural England. For more information about the project call 01409 221823.

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CONFERENCE TO LAUNCH RARE GRASSLAND PROJECT Ref 23/6/2008
A conference to be held this week will launch an ambitious new five year landscape scale project which aims to save the remaining Culm Grassland of North and West Devon. The conference will be held on 27 June at the Fox and Hounds Hotel, Eggesford. It will bring together over 80 delegates who have an interest in saving this unique wet grassland habitat. The conference is a chance for them to learn more about DWT's detailed plans for the next five years. Key speakers on the day will be Dr John Hopkins, a grassland specialist for the Nature Conservancy Council, Dr Mike Moser who is a wetlands specialist and has been Deputy Chair of English Nature since May 2004 along with Professor Michael Winter who is an expert on rural politics & economics and is Director of the Centre for Rural Research at the University of Exeter. Devon Wildlife Trust's (DWT) Working Wetlands project will be the charity's biggest project to date. The project aims to recreate large areas of this rare habitat. 92% has been lost since the beginning of the 20th Century, mainly through agricultural improvement.The project aims to secure over 2000 hectares of Culm grassland in good condition by 2013 within three priority areas, Upper Tamar/Torridge Headwaters, Hollow & Odham Moors and Rackenford & Knowstone Moors. Working Wetlands will also reconnect important wildlife areas by restoring associated key habitats that provide essential links to the Culm sites. The project includes a team of five advisors that will be out on the ground talking to landowners and providing grants to help support the management of priority habitats. The project will be managed by DWT's Peter Burgess, he said: "This conference is our chance to let as many interested parties know about our big plans for the next five years. DWT has been building up to this project for a couple of decades now, learning about how best to managed Culm Grassland and the challenges that face landowners. This landscape scale project brings together everything we have learned but moves it on to a much larger scale. In order to rebuild our biodiversity for the future we must work on a landscape scale, not just in small fragmented sites. If we don't start arresting the decline of these sites, our life giving ecosystems will cease to function especially with the onset of climate change." Devon holds over 80% of the remaining Culm left in England. Culm Grassland is an important habitat for breeding curlew, the European threatened marsh fritillary butterfly, narrow bordered bee-hawk moth and many rare wild flowers. The project has been supported by the Tubney Charitable Trust, South West Water, Devon Waste Management, Grantscape and Natural England.
For more information about the conference and how to get involved in the project, call 01409 221823

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UNRAVELLING MYSTERIES OF THE HARBOUR PORPOISE IN NORTH DEVON Ref/2 June 2008
Tomorrow (Friday 13th June), Devon Wildlife Trust begins its search for the elusive harbour porpoise in the waters off Ilfracombe, North Devon. This marks Devon Wildlife Trust's involvement in cutting-edge research from the University of Exeter in collaboration with Natural England to investigate the underwater life of porpoise along the North Devon coastline. It is hoped that the findings will help conserve this elusive marine mammal in future. Devon Wildlife Trust will use two Timing-Porpoise detectors T-PODs) to listen for porpoise activity. A T-POD is a device used to log the presence of porpoises that emit echolocation clicks within its vicinity. T-PODs work by continuously scanning the frequencies over which porpoise emit their echolocation clicks. These clicks are used for communication and finding prey. Whenever a porpoise moves through the area close to the T-PODs the clicks are logged and are downloaded to a computer to see how long porpoise have spent in a particular area. Alex McDonald, project leader and University of Exeter MSC student says: 'This is an exciting opportunity to determine what brings porpoise to the area and hopefully predict similar places where we would expect to find porpoise along the Devon coastline. We need to find out what makes this area important to porpoises? How does the seabed or local characteristics of the area determine that porpoise will be found in a particular site? The findings will be valuable to future conservation efforts.' Little is known about the harbour porpoise's daily life as they are hard to spot on the surface. In recent years the harbour porpoise has seen widespread population declines throughout its range attributed to factors including fishing activity, exposure to PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and habitat degradation. In order to adequately conserve the harbour porpoise, more information is needed about why porpoise are found in particular areas and not others. Alex McDonald adds: 'Continued effort from volunteers in the Cetacean Recording Network (CRN) has produced long-term data on porpoise presence in an area. This information could be greatly enhanced by using a T-POD to gather continuous data on porpoise presence in the Ilfracombe area. We hope this project will help unravel some of the mysteries of this amazing creature.' For more information about the Cetacean Recording Network visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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CORPORATE CONSERVATION TO HELP PROTECT RARE SPECIES Ref 30 May 2008
The Devon Wildlife Trust has received a grant from the Dartmoor National Park Authority's Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund to help support vital conservation work on five of the charity's nature reserves. The grant of £6,155 will fund a programme of 12 corporate volunteering events on five of DWT's nature reserves based within Dartmoor National Park including Emsworthy, Blackadon, Mill Bottom, Lower East Loundson and the popular Dunsford nature reserve. The work will benefit species such the rare high brown fritillary butterfly which enjoys the sunny slopes within the sessile oak woodland at Blackadon. The species has been suffering due to the increase of bracken that has been shading out the violets which the insect feeds on. Other species which will benefit include the threatened marsh fritillary, dormouse, pied flycatcher and blackcap.The corporate volunteers will be helping with scrub clearance, cutting and raking bracken and coppicing at the sites, all tasks which are labour intensive and time consuming for reserve officers to carry out by themselves. DWT's corporate relations officer has been pioneering corporate volunteering over the past 5 years through a programme of work with nearly 100 different corporate supporters including EDF Energy, Bardon Aggregates and the Met Office. Tracy Ebbrell DWT's Corporate Relations Officer said: "We are committed to getting more people out on our nature reserves and to getting businesses to increase their accountability. As part of our growing Corporate Supporter Scheme, we are now running a Corporate Volunteering Project which helps us deliver labour intensive habitat management work on our nature reserves and gets local businesses involved in wildlife conservation. This grant will help with the costs of staff time, transport, tools and materials for the tasks and will be invaluable." Holly Tiffen, Sustainable Development Officer at Dartmoor National Park Authority said: "The Dartmoor Sustainable Development Fund has been set up to encourage innovative sustainable development projects that help improve the quality of life of communities on Dartmoor, both now and in the future." For more information about DWT's corporate work visit: www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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JOHNNY KINGDOM TO OPEN WILDLIFE FESTIVAL Ref: 29 May 2008
Next week Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) presents its annual Wildlife Festival as part of Wildlife Weeks. This year the festival will take place in the Pannier Market in Barnstaple on Sunday 8 June from 10am until 4pm and will be opened by TV presenter Johnny Kingdom. The event, which is part of the North Devon Festival, will feature a range of activities for people to find out more about Devon's wildlife and learn how to get involved in conservation around the county. There will be bird and bug-box making, a willow workshop, guided wildlife walks, facepainting and badgemaking and there will be special appearances by anemones, blennies and crabs from North Devon Voluntary Marine Conservation Area. There will also be the chance to take a very close look at some creepy crawlies at the wildlife gardening display. Like last year, the charity is hoping thousands of people will come along the day and have linked up with the North Devon Festival to help promote the event. DWT's Rod Birtles said: 'We had a fantastic Wildlife Festival last year in Plymouth city centre and this year we have moved the event north to Barnstaple and we are hoping for a big turnout. A lot of people know that we look after nature reserves in Devon but there is so much more to DWT that we want people to know about and get involved with. Our annual festival is a wild day out for all the family!" For more information about the event visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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Pearl-bordered fritillary at Marsland

RARE BUTTERFLIES BUCK TREND Ref 13/5/2008
A 20 year survey of pearl-bordered and small pearl-bordered fritillary butterflies at Devon Wildlife Trust's (DWT) Marsland nature reserve has revealed that numbers have been increasing dramatically (over 200%) for both species compared to the overall national decline thanks to careful management. DWT's nature reserves officer Gary Pilkington has been managing the site for over 20 years to improve the wooded valley's glades and pastures for the benefit of these rare butterflies. It is one of the most closely monitored sites in the South West for butterflies and the knowledge accrued over the years has really paid dividends. The 212 hectare site on the North Devon coast supports five species of fritillaries in total and last year received funding from the North Devon AONB Sustainable Development Fund to further boost numbers. As the flight season comes to an end for the pearl-bordered fritillaries the signs are looking good for another year. DWT's Gary Pilkington said: "We have worked hard over the last two decades to improve the habitat for these beautiful and rare insects and it is great to see such positive improvements compared to the over 50% decline nationally for both the species. Over the years we have learnt exactly what they need to thrive here including appropriate bracken control, scrub management and providing the open ground loved by the pearl-bordered fritillaries. This is the ideal time of the year to see small pearl-bordered fritillaries in flight so our next job this month will be to monitor their numbers." The management work has been carried out by DWT staff, local contractors and volunteers which have all helped to remove gorse, willow, alder and other scrub in the habitats best suited to the butterflies. Similar work over the years has seen large increases in the numbers of common dog-violets which is the food plant of the fritillaries' caterpillars as well as bugle which is the main nectar source for the adults. With each of the species preferring slightly different habitat it has been a balancing act over the years. Gary added: "The small pearl-bordered fritillary thrives in the damper sections of the woodland, whilst the pearl-bordered fritillary enjoys the sunny west-facing slopes. Even though we are doing well, the work still has to continue each year, it's a constant battle. One of the other fritillaries, the high brown is only just hanging on here so we certainly can't rest on our laurels!" For more information about the site and to read the report visit the Marsland nature reserve page at www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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DEVON GETS 94 NEW WILDLIFE SITES - 11 March 08
The County Wildlife Site project, run by The Devon Biodiversity Records Centre (DBRC) in partnership with a number of agencies and authorities across Devon, surveyed 174 sites during 2007. Of those 94 will now be classed as County Wildlife Sites, meaning more protection for wildlife in the county. County Wildlife Sites are places that are considered important for the wildlife they contain. They can include a range of interests from old broadleaved woodland to small fields of traditional pasture and fragments of heath. Although not a statutory designation like Sites of Special Scientific Interest, they do have value as they are included in Local Plans and are increasingly recognised by the government and local authorities as a vital tool for monitoring the health of the natural environment. The survey work was carried out during April to October 2007 in a number of areas across the county including the Blackdowns AONB, Plymouth, Teignbridge, Mid Devon, North Devon and West Devon. Emma Townsend who managed the project said: "By recognising these areas of land as County Wildlife Sites we can identify them as being rich in wildlife and map the main priority wildlife areas of Devon. We can now also use the new data for assessing how the environment changes over time, particularly in the light of a changing climate and external pressures. One of the ways we use the data is to screen planning applications to make sure the needs of wildlife are taken into account. A benefit for the landowners is that it can potentially make them eligible for environmental grants although many are just pleased to know that their management over the years has produced sites of significant quality." The 3 year project has now come to an end and was only made possible thanks to funding and support from Devon County Council, and a partnership of other funding partners including Natural England, Environment Agency, Plymouth City Council, Teignbridge District Council, Torridge District Council, North Devon District Council, Mid Devon District Council, South Hams District Council, West Devon Borough Council, Blackdown Hills AONB, North Devon AONB, East Devon AONB, Tamar Valley Mining Heritage Area, South Devon AONB and Dartmoor National Park. Over the three years around 200,000 hectares have been screened for potential new sites using aerial photographs. All the work has meant that there are now a total of around 1900 County Wildlife Sites in Devon. The survey work will continue into next year albeit on a smaller scale thanks to funding from North Devon District Council, Torridge District Council and the North Devon AONB. For more information about the work of DBRC visit Devon Wildlife Trust at www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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LOTTERY CASH HELPS TO SAVE DOLPHINS
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) has received £5000 to fund its Cetacean Recording Network which is helping to monitor numbers of dolphins seen off the county's coastline so they can be better understood and protected. The money has been awarded by Awards for All, the funding body of the Heritage Lottery Fund. The body awards grants of between £300 and £10,000 for people to take part in art, sport, heritage and community activities, and projects that promote education, the environment and health in the local community. The project has already attracted over 100 volunteer recorders who spend a set amount of hours each month scouring the waters off Devon looking for signs of cetaceans. The money will help go towards training more volunteers as well as the installation of digital recording units called TPOD's to monitor dolphin sounds at points around the coast. David Ireland, DWT's Communications Officer said: 'Every year, the waters of the south west play host to many fascinating marine creatures. There are resident populations of bottlenose dolphins, porpoises and whales around the coast, and visitors like minke and pilot whales, and common dolphins but we know very little about their behaviour and movements. This grant will help to support our work in this field enabling us to train more volunteers to vastly increase our knowledge of these marine mammals.' For more information about the project visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org and click on 'Cetacean Recording Network'. There is also a marine mammal ID guide that can be downloaded from the site.

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WILDLIFE CHARITY GETS BAT BOOST
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) has received £11,281 to fund a new project to help protect and encourage bats at a number of the charity's nature reserves. The project will concentrate on two of DWT's quarry sites, Sourton just off the A30 near Okehampton and Higher Kiln near Buckfastleigh. Both nature reserves are already well known for their rare bat species. Devon is home to at least a third of the UK's remaining population of the rare Greater Horseshoe bat. Higher Kiln Quarry is an important winter roost site for the species which is one of the biggest of the UK bats with only around 6,600 individuals remaining. Sourton Quarry is home to 14 of the UK's 17 bat species. Currently many of the bats frequenting the site are just feeding and passing through but it has huge potential as a permanent residence for hundreds of bats. The grant has been provided by the Alcoa Foundation and will include a range of habitat improvements to make the sites even more bat friendly. At Sourton Quarry the lime kilns and associated buildings will be converted into suitable bat habitat with the construction of wooden bat nursery communes. The work at Higher Kiln will concentrate on the restoration of a barn to provide an extra breeding refuge along with work to rejuvenate a nearby pond to increase the numbers of insects which are a key food source for the bats. Matt Boydell, DWT's Nature Reserves Manager said: 'The number of bats in the UK has plummeted in the last few decades. There are a range of causes including habitat loss, disturbance and destruction of hibernation sites. This project aims to give the bats a real boost and to help halt the decline in Devon. We are really thankful to the Alcoa Foundation and local subsidiary Howmet for helping to make this project happen and are really excited to see the results in the coming years.' As well as funding the restoration work, the grant will also enable DWT to monitor the bats using new digital technology that has been pioneered in the US but not been fully exploited in Britain. For more information about the two nature reserves visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org

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LYME BAY REEFS REPORT PROVES NEED FOR STATUTORY PROTECTION AGAINST DREDGING
Today sees the start of the scallop dredging season in Devon which will once again threaten the nationally important Lyme Bay Reefs. To coincide with the start of the season, Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) is releasing a report which documents its research over the past 16 years. The report is being launched at a meeting of the Devon Maritime Forum in Barnstaple and is available online. The report concludes that:
* The threat from scallop dredging will, if left unchecked, lead to wholesale destruction of nationally important seabed communities.
* A total ban on scallop dredging on Lyme Bay Reefs is the only effective way to protect rare and protected species.
* Scallop dredging is less economically valuable to Lyme Bay Reefs than sustainable activities such as diving, potting and angling.
The report has been produced to support DWT's response to the DEFRA consultation which runs until 7 December 2007 to decide the future of the Lyme Bay's vulnerable reef system. The Wildlife Trusts are calling for the full 60sq mile area of reefs, less than 10% of Lyme Bay to be protected from dredging. Paul Gompertz, DWT's Director said: "This report is the culmination of 16 years dedicated research, including scientific surveys, seabed mapping and work with local fishermen. The reefs are the undersea equivalent of the rainforests and the report demonstrates that closure of Lyme Bay Reefs to dredging is essential if we are to stop their destruction. We must stop scallop dredging as soon as possible to allow the reefs time and space to recover." To read the report 'Lyme Bay Reefs - A 16 year search for sustainability' and to support the Wildlife Trust's campaign to protect Lyme Bay Reefs visit www.savelymebayreefs.org

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