Busy spring for countryside rangers

Rangers from East Devon District Council’s Countryside team have been out and about over recent weeks sharing their knowledge with visitors to Bicton College and Cranbrook. 

At Bicton College’s Lambing Sunday (22 March) the team also showed off their newly redesigned trailer for the first time. Thousands of people spent the day exploring the 200 hectares of the college grounds. The team helped children make pine cone sheep while parents indicated their favourite East Devon countryside locations on a map.  Hundreds of the new spring and summer events guide were also distributed.

East Devon District Council currently works in close partnership with the Bicton Countryside Team.  A student from the college’s ranger course works alongside the council rangers learning about the many challenges of managing East Devon’s nature reserves. The council provide a variety of habitat sites where the college can run courses, speak to the students from first-hand experience about the specific industry issues they may face in their future careers. The college, in turn, helps East Devon manage sites by providing grazing animals. 

Ranger, Emma Jones, said “Lambing Sunday was an excellent opportunity for the EDDC Countryside team to engage with nature lovers of all ages.  We look forward to strengthening our working relationship even further with Bicton College in the future.”

Bicton is a leading land-based college set within an area of outstanding natural beauty in the heart of Devon where a majestic Georgian manor house and beautiful lake sit alongside the latest in modern facilities and equipment.

Earlier in the month the rangers ran a successful ‘Making Mothers Day Special’ event at Cranbrook Younghayes Centre.  Visitors took part in craft activities with a natural theme including making beaded bracelets from elder branches, personalised wood cookie necklaces and stained glass window pictures using pressed wild flowers, leaves, feathers and glitter.

For more information on events with the Countryside team, visit www.eastdevon.gov.uk/countryside, or pick up one of our new spring/summer events guides at a library or Tourist Information Centre near you.