This is the third of five special edition newsletters on implementation of the Biosphere Nature Recovery Plan. Each will cover one of the five action plans for the different habitats of the terrestrial part of the Biosphere:

Wetlands and Waterbodies

Coast

Towns and Villages

Grassland and Arable

Trees, Woods and Hedges

The Nature Recovery Plan for the North Devon Biosphere Reserve is a leading regional UK response to the global ecological emergency. The massive loss of Earth’s biodiversity is exemplified in northern Devon by the collapse of populations of once common species and habitats from wildflower meadows, bees and butterflies to farmland birds, migrating salmon and coastal heath. The Biosphere’s Nature Recovery Plan was launched in mid-2021 and aims to restore a wide range of animal and plant populations and vital habitats by 2030. This report presents a snapshot of achievements in the first 36 months of work for the Towns and Villages Action Plan

To read the Nature Recovery Plan, click here

To Sign our Nature Recovery Declaration as an individual or organisation, click here

By 2030, nature is more widespread, diverse and increasing in our towns and villages. At least half of public open spaces (including parks, churchyards and schools), as well as 200 business premises are being managed to help nature’s recovery. Tree canopy cover in urban areas has doubled, providing habitat for nature, shade, carbon capture and fruit for residents. Road verges rich in wildflowers and insects are common, and the Tarka Trail is richer in wildlife for all to enjoy. New housing developments and infrastructure protect valuable habitats and are net nature positive, creating connected wildlife habitats, delivered through exemplary planning systems. They include features for garden birds, insects, bats and hedgehogs, and many older houses also boast these features. Gardens, public spaces and business premises are being managed with minimal use of biocides and no peat-based products, and there are many more garden ponds, wildflower patches, log-piles and scrubby corners. Native and scarce plants like Devon whitebeam are increasingly found and celebrated in public spaces; nesting swifts or house martins are a source of pride for house owners and are increasing in the area, as are hedgehogs, toads and garden butterflies. Nature is supporting healthier and happier communities and is accessible to many more people.

The Biosphere’s Pledge for Nature project was a community-led project from the start, funded by the north Devon community via a hugely successful Crowdfunder and a significant contribution from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Although launched at the start of the Covid pandemic, the project successfully supported individuals, schools, businesses and partners across the whole area to take action for the Nature Recovery Plan. At least 5,675 individuals made 1,325 Pledges on the Map.

Our Nature Recovery Declaration was signed by 590 individuals, 36 businesses, 29 organisations, 7 local authorities and 9 schools. Key achievements in Towns and Villages included improving nature in 328 gardens, 15 school grounds, creation/improvement of 12 community orchards, and work to improve conditions for priority species like swifts and hedgehogs. The development of several community groups was supported. The project ran the Biosphere Nature Awards scheme for 3 years (8 categories), culminating with an excellent event this year at The Plough in Torrington. Although the project has now ended, the website and map remain operational and participants will carry on their good work. The Biosphere is currently discussing with the Lottery Climate Action Fund about a new Biosphere Communities project focused on sustainable land management.

For further information: https://www.biosphere.org.uk/p...

Devon Biodiversity Records Centre (DBRC) manages the Non-Statutory Sites Framework within Devon, which currently consists of 2221 County Wildlife Sites (CWS). This designation captures sites of wildlife value, typically priority habitats, which are not captured by the Statutory Sites designations, such as SSSI. DBRC runs an annual monitoring project with support from both Devon Wildlife Trust and Devon County Council, and aims to revisit between 60 to 90 of these sites per year. The information gathered is key to knowing what’s happening to biodiversity in the wider landscape, and what are the main challenges these sites are facing.

• During the 21/22 survey season DBRC surveyed 22 sites within the Biosphere area, with 10 being found to be in decline
• During the 22/23 survey season DBRC surveyed 14 sites within the Biosphere area, with 6 being found to be in decline
• During the 23/24 survey season DBRC has surveyed 10 sites, but the reports have yet to be completed.

As a result of DBRC undertaking surveys of other potential priority habitat this year, as part of their broader work, four new sites within the Biosphere area may be designated. Please contact iegerton@devonwildlifetrust.org for further information.

Wildlife habitat in gardens: There are currently 55 garden spaces that have received a wildlife garden plaque award through our scheme. These awards show that people have completed at least a minimum of 10 criteria covering food, water, shelter, sustainable management, and connectivity. As the numbers suggest there is a lot of potential for this scheme to be promoted and expanded across North Devon and can contribute to NRP targets.

Schools/school grounds: DWT worked with 13 primary schools in North Devon as part of the Conservation Communities Project which focussed on leading citizen science sessions and gathering biological data from the Torridge area which were fed into DBRC. Looking ahead we will be working with a number of schools in North Devon through our Wilder Learning Team where we will be expanding our successful Wildlife Champions schemes amongst the pupils and will include improving school grounds for wildlife.

Work with the community to achieve nature gain: The Wilder Communities Team at DWT is working with communities across Devon including North Devon. We give advice and support for communities who are taking action for wildlife where they live, learn, work or play. We are able to work with community groups, churches, businesses and councils in order to help them with the nature focused project.

DWT worked with North Devon Hospice to help promote the wonderful grounds of the hospice to more people in the local area. We did this by running a collaborative wildlife gardening event together – DWT did the indoor theory side of wildlife gardening and then Ian, the head gardener, led a walk around the hospice grounds so participants could see examples in real life. These wonderful grounds are a bit of a hidden gem and the hospice really wanted to see the local community enjoying them more.

Finding Nature's Footprints (FNF) is a three-year National Lottery Heritage Funded project which aims to learn more about the nature in the AONB’s villages, gardens, fields, and shores through surveys, monitoring and mapping of wildlife. There have been some exciting developments through the first year of the project. Working in Hartland we have supported the set up and activities of the Hartland Nature Society who are working to survey and map the wildlife of the Parish. Hartland Nature Society are currently using footprint tunnels to map hedgehog activity in gardens with the help of over 80 school children.

We are leading citizen science training events in key locations: Brownsham, Woolcombe and Ilfracombe focusing on plant, pollinator, freshwater invertebrate, and habitat surveys. Training workshops on using iNaturalist have gathered over 40 recorders to the project and they’ve just submitted their 3,000th record.

Working with St Nectan’s Church in Hartland and Croyde Baptist Church we are gathering data on plant and bat diversity. The project is keen to support new interest and enthusiasm in the North Devon Coast AONB’s habitats and wildlife.

We have worked hard to set up the AONB environment group, a regular meeting of young people aged 15-25 carrying out surveys and working with partners. Next year we plan to work in new parishes and to gather more detailed data on local wildlife, information that will empower communities to become part of their nature recovery strategies.

The following list is not exhaustive and apologies for any omissions – please do let us know if you would like to be added to this list.

•  Ashreigney and Riddlecombe Nature Recovery Group (founded June 2022)

•  Barnstaple & District Local Group – Devon Wildlife Trust

• Friends of South Molton Community Woodland

• Great Torrington Commons Conservators

• Halsdon & Dolton Local Group – Devon Wildlife Trust

• Hatherleigh Environmental Forum

• High Bickington Community Woodland

• Landkey Hedgehog Group

• Meeth and Halsdon Reserves – Conservation volunteers

• Natural Torridge

• South Molton Swifts Group

• Sustainable Chulmleigh

• Sticklepath & Okehampton Conservation Group

• Wild Lapford

• Wild Oke

• Wilder Littleham and Landcross Project (from March 2022)

• Winkleigh Biodiversity Group

• Winkleigh Community Nature Area Group

In Spring 2023, Natural Torridge - a network of nature groups along the River Torridge - was formed by communities as an umbrella group to link local groups for support, resources and mutual encouragement.

In June 2023, Winkleigh Biodiversity Group was awarded a Saving Devon’s Treescapes Award for their activities, including running two Free Tree Giveaways, tree-planting and citizen science surveys for dormice and harvest mice.

The Biosphere 2022 Nature Awards were presented at a sparkling event at The Plough Arts Centre in May 2023. The winners were:

• Community Group - Ashreigney and Riddlecombe Nature Recovery Group
•  School Award - South Molton Community Primary School
•  Youth Award - Joe Szymankiewicz
•  Gardener Award - Gary and Lynn Green
•  Community Champion - Neil Spencer
• Business Award - Venn Valley Vineyard, Tony and Alina
• Farmer/Landowner Award - Higher Hacknell Farm, Tim and Jo Budden
• Lottery Player Award - South Molton Save Our Swifts- Fran Sendall

Pupil Awards - (first names only)

• Lottie - South Molton Community Primary School

• James - Appledore Primary School

• Elsa - Great Torrington Blue Coats Primary School

• Julliette - West Buckland School

• Adam - Pilton Community College

• Norah - Braunton Academy

• Tymek - Ilfracombe Academy

Schools can make a huge contribution to nature recovery both in their own grounds and also through providing pupils with learning experiences to replicate at home and throughout their lives. The Nature Recovery Plan includes a priority action to “Manage at least 15 school grounds for nature gain, through the creation of habitats, school composting and avoidance of biocides and peat products, with education programmes in place”. In the first 2 years of implementation several schools have taken action for Nature Recovery across the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere and we are well on the way to meeting this target. It is important to note that this report only includes the schools we are aware of through the Pledge for Nature project. Other schools may be taking action for nature - and we’d be very keen to hear from you!

Notable activity varies between schools and is highly dependent on the people involved. Appledore Primary has created a new pond and hedgerows as part of their school Micro reserve; they also had an Eco Day during the summer term and all the children were involved with a Bioblitz. South Molton Community Primary created a wildflower patch earlier this spring and are working toward creating 10% of the school site as being a space for nature. Landkey Primary school are creating hedgehog highways in their school grounds. Braunton Academy and South Molton Community Primary school have put up Swift boxes. All of these schools have had interaction with local community groups who have offered their support with projects.

Kingsley school Earth Centre have a workshop which enables the students to learn and then research solutions to biodiversity loss in North Devon. They have also been involved with tree planting, and various environmental initiatives.

Schools leaders and staff working in schools have expressed an interest in the Nature Recovery Plan and how young people and children can play their part. Schools are experimenting with ideas but there needs to be clearer and more accessible guidance for schools to get involved in taking action for nature that links with the Nature Recovery Plan.

2021 School nominations for Biosphere Nature Award

• South Molton Community Primary School
• Appledore Primary School
• Atlantic Academy
• Winning School 2021 - Westbuckland School

2022 School Nominations for Biosphere Nature Award

• Kingsley School
• Kiddywinks Nursery
• Winning School 2022 - South Molton Community Primary school

Nature Recovery Challenge Fund applicants

• Marwood Primary School
• Kiddywinks Barnstaple
• Southmead Primary School
  
• Appledore Primary School
• South Molton Community Primary School
• Park Community Primary School
• Landkey Primary School

Community Orchard Grant

• Orchard Vale Community Primary School

Our Biosphere Business Partner Eco-Accreditation Scheme has been running since 2020, allowing businesses across our biosphere to commit to a number of different actions in the categories of Conservation, Local Development and Awareness Raising. 96 of our members have committed to helping nature improve, whether on their land or around their buildings. Commitments include, but are not limited to:

• Creating wild flowers areas

• Installing bird or bat boxes, hedgehog boxes and/or insect hotels

• Planting Trees and/or laying hedgerows

• Composting

• Installing ponds to encourage wildlife

• Reduce/avoid use of pesticides, herbicides and peat-based composts

We were delighted that one of our members, ‘Venn Valley Vineyard’, were chosen as the winner of the business category in the 2022 Nature Awards, for pledging the following:

• Putting in a hedgerow of native species across 1/3 perimeter of the vineyard to feed bees and other pollinating insects

• Researching schemes regarding birds in vineyards

• Planting spring bulbs in the headlands which will be oversewn with a herbal mixture for bees and insects

• Turning three overgrown ponds into wildlife ponds

To find out more about Venn Valley Vineyard and what they are doing for nature recovery, watch our short video here: https://youtu.be/DW1BxV1RB_Y

Ostlers Cider Mill and the Bulworthy Project were also given special mentions in this category, for
pledging the following:
• We will be taking out all the Ash die back with horses and replanting with faster growing
trees plus hazel and willow for coppicing
• We are an organic apple orchard which has wildflower meadows beneath the trees
• We plan to repair and expand our ancient woodland. 
• Managed with nature in mind and pollinator friendly

Bulworthy Project - environmental sustainability is central to the project

• Most of our land is managed as a nature reserve

• We're restoring patches of culm grassland on our land including 1.5 acres which is under a scheme with Devon Wildlife Trust.

• We have plans to restore more culm grassland in the future.

To find out more about joining the Biosphere Business Partner Eco-Accreditation Scheme, click here: https://www.biosphere.org.uk/business-partners/about

Kenwith Valley Local Nature Reserve is a site that was previously developed and managed by Devon Birds  Preservation Society. More recently it was managed by Friends of Kenwith Valley. Torridge has managed the site since 2022. There have been attempts to set up a new Friends of group, but this has not been successful yet. However, the Northam Burrows Rangers run regular work parties here. There are 3 wildflower meadows which undergo a hay cut in the Autumn and a repeat cut in the winter. All cuttings are cleared, and the ‘green hay’ method is used to spread wildflower seeds from areas rich in species diversity to areas that are species poor. Willow is being cleared from the reedbed and the reeds are being cut on rotation to encourage new growth and prevent the habitat from scrubbing up and drying out. Tree weeding also takes place in the broadleaf plantation that was established in 2019/20, with the hope that this will become a mature mixed broadleaf woodland in the future. Other activities are being planned for the upcoming winter in line with the Management Plan that was produced by the North Devon Biosphere in 2016.

The Environment Agency are undertaking some statutory maintenance work to Kenwith Valley dam as part of 3-year programme. It is their policy to deliver 20% biodiversity net gain whether planning permission is required or not. This will provide an opportunity to achieve some of the other recommendations under the management plan, exactly what work will be undertaken is yet to be confirmed.

Torridge District Council’s largest single green space is Northam Burrows Country Park. This Site of Special Scientific Interest is 264ha and is made up of Sand Dunes and Coastal Grassland that were considered to be in ‘unfavourable’ condition in 2011 by Natural England. Since 2013 the site has been under a HLS Environmental Stewardship scheme which included capital works to restore and create new humid dune slacks. Stock numbers are managed and annual works are undertaken to prevent scrub encroachment across the site. The condition of the land is currently classed as ‘recovering’

Northam Burrows Visitor Centre hosts a number of events and workshops. As part of the Nature Recovery Project there have been 3 wildlife gardening workshops done in partnership with North Devon Biosphere. We have also hosted a Wilder Communities event with Devon Wildlife Trust in March 2023. In the winter of 23/24 we intend to host another Wilder Communities workshop and an event to encourage town and parish councils, as well as other community groups to manage roadside verges for wildlife.

Torridge District Council have adapted its management of a number of meadows and verges to improve these sites for wildlife under a new management plan. These sites are all in Bideford and make up 3ha in total. Torridge District Council is purchasing equipment to help cut and clear these areas in Autumn and Winter and intend to over sow wildflower seed to promote greater species diversity. The verges and meadows will be allowed to grow during Spring and Autumn in line with Plantlife’s ‘Good Verge Guide’.

Torridge District Council have also identified sites for 4 community orchards and 1 community woodland. It is anticipated that approx. 2000 trees can be planted here. The orchards and woodland will also have to go through various levels of consultation before plans are finalised.

Yeo Valley Woodland

Over the winter of 2022-23, 18500 trees were planted. 6000 by volunteers, 3000 by contractors and 9500 by NDC staff. This was short of the 24000 trees needed to complete the scheme but some trees were unavailable due to failures during the growing season and possibly an effect of climate change  presenting more challenging growing conditions.

A volunteer co-ordinator was contracted to involve volunteers with a busy primary schools programme running during January and February 2023 as well as weekend and weekday tasks running from December through to February. Over 500 school children and 200 volunteers took part over the winter. A further volunteer programme will be undertaken this coming winter 23/24

Meadows

As of 2023 North Devon Council manage approximately 16 hectares of land as wildflower meadows. The grass is cut and removed between one and three times per year. 11ha are undertaken by an agricultural contractor and 5ha by the Parks Team. One site is now a County Wildlife Site due to its floristic diversity (Cleave Road, Barnstaple). New sites are oversown with a perennial native wildflower mix with additional Yellow Rattle and then topped over the spring to allow light penetration and improve germination.

Further areas are added each year on a rolling programme and often as part of the “No Mow May” campaign run by Plantlife. These areas generally go on to become permanent meadows.

Volunteers form an important part of meadow establishment and management, with areas in Ilfracombe, Barnstaple, South Molton and Chulmleigh being managed by volunteers and community groups.

The council are currently carrying out a survey of all their sites to identify further biodiversity improvements.

Nestboxes

North Devon Council remove Larch from the woodland at Whiddon Valley and this has now been milled to provide timber for nestboxes. These will be constructed each winter and placed around the parks and open spaces in North Devon.

The adopted North Devon and Torridge Local Plan (2018) is currently under review and existing policies will be revised to ensure that opportunities for nature recovery are fully embraced. This will involve ensuring that policies and location of development sites are informed by the Devon wide Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) and the Biosphere NRP.

Both Councils are currently preparing for mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain which is expected to come into force late November 2023. The new legislation will require that development delivers a 10% improvement in habitat value above the pre-development baseline. This will help to ensure that development retains more existing habitat and delivers new habitat onsite. There will also be significant opportunities for landowners to become Habitat Banks in order to secure funding and deliver new habitat networks across the country.

Both swifts and house martins are on the UK Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern, their breeding populations having recently declined by 58% (1995-2018) and 57% (1969-2018) respectively. The Devon Bird Atlas 2007-13 suggests similar levels of decline have occurred across the North Devon Biosphere since the mid-1970s. Reasons for these declines probably include loss of nesting sites on houses, as well as large declines in their insect prey as a result of the widespread loss and degradation of natural habitats and use of pesticides.

Helping these species is therefore a priority for the Nature Recovery Plan, which includes a priority action to: Integrate swift, house martin and bat boxes into at least 100 new house builds; ensure that all towns have a swift nest box scheme; work with 20 villages to ensure at least five houses within each have house martin and swift nests or boxes.

Great progress is being made particularly by local community groups. Existing nestbox schemes in South Molton and Hartland have been joined by new schemes in Chulmleigh, Ashreigney and Riddlecombe, Stoke Rivers, East Worlington and Meshaw as well as on many individual rural properties. We would be delighted to hear of other villages or towns that are trying to help these species, and encourage all councils, house builders and community groups to join this effort. The following article from Chulmleigh is an inspiring example of what can be done through community efforts.

Chulmleigh Swift and House Martin Project

Our Project began in February 2021. Both species had been seen in the centre of the village but there were no written records of nest sites. With support from Devon Birds, 10 swift boxes and 16 house martin (HM) nest cups had been installed by Spring 2022. In 2023, the project has gone from strength to strength with 2 additional volunteers able to devote more time to observation and recording of nesting swifts and HMs. 18 active swift nest sites have been recorded and there has been the first successful swift breeding in a swift nest box (installed in 2021). A total of 21 HM nests was recorded for this year. An additional 8 swift boxes and 6 HM nest cups have been installed.

We would particularly advise:

•  Survey your area for existing nests sites on buildings. This is very important. Renovation/repairs of buildings (happening all the time with older properties) can wipe out a swift nest site or even a whole colony. With house martins, one householder early this year had to remove 2 old nests to be able to replace guttering. Once the work had been done, 2 replacement double nest cups were put up in time and all 4 nest cups have been used by breeding house martins!

•  Involve the help of a few keen volunteers to ‘walk the bounds’ regularly to identify swift / house martin nest sites and encourage residents to get involved by reporting sightings.

•  Watch out for properties with scaffolding. This can be an ideal opportunity for a householder to install a swift box / house martin nest cup.

•  Swift Callers We tried one in the centre of the village this year and it definitely generated interest. More will be used next year.

•  Encourage householders with nesting swifts/HMs to watch out for them, and send in records. We are having window stickers made to give to give out to households ‘Swifts nest Here’ etc

•  Spread the Word This summer we had a stand at Chulmleigh Old Fair which resulted in another swift nest site record and many more supporters.

The project has generated so much awareness and interest in helping these birds. Identifying and preserving their established nest sites is a priority. There is much advice for builders/renovators in this respect and many examples of good practice. Supporting existing nest sites by installing swift boxes and HM nest cups and collecting records is something so practical that we can do to potentially increase their breeding success. The support for this project in the village has been so encouraging.

A local resident has given a very generous donation. This will be used to purchase more swift boxes/HM nest cups, buy more swift screamers, order tailor made window stickers and possibly install one or two nest cams. Additionally, The Old Courthouse Inn has installed a swift box this Spring and has donated the proceeds of a quiz night to our project. Now we await the arrival of the breeding swifts and Swift beer….

Project funding makes long term community support difficult

The Next Steps: a Call to Action

•  Engaging parish councils - Working together as lead organisations to share our plans, pool resources and transfer knowledge

•  Facilitating more community groups - Involving the community in projects which can enthuse people, increase their understanding, and demonstrate how nature contributes to a thriving local economy

For further information contact Mark Saunders mark.saunders@northdevon.gov.uk