Could you help to record biodiversity in East Devon?

East Devon District Council Countryside Rangers are putting together a number of monitoring schemes that will be used at sites across the district. The surveys will be used to record important information about the quality of the habitats the Countryside team manage and help to record biodiversity in East Devon.

The surveys will measure a range of indicators of habitat quality including botanical surveys and counts of butterflies, reptiles, wetland birds, dragonflies and more! The surveys will be conducted at a range of sites managed by the East Devon District council Countryside service, including Trinity Hill, Seaton Wetlands, The Maer and Knapp Copse.

The Countryside team are looking for volunteers with an interest in the local area and wildlife who will work throughout the spring and summer months to monitor species across East Devon.

Trainee Ranger, Laura Goble who will be working with the volunteers to collect the data said:

“This is a really exciting large scale project which will collect information from sites managed by the District Council Countryside service. We know that through a range of appropriate countryside management practices, we provide habitats for a range of species including migrating wetland birds, protected species such as dormice and bats and species which without the correct habitats would suffer population decline. It is so important that we monitor species populations and use the data to inform our habitat management plans.

“We hope to recruit a group of volunteers who will use tested methods to collect ecological data which will show the extent to which the sites are being well managed for the benefit of wildlife. The results will also provide the Countryside Rangers with insight into any areas which need additional work in order to increase habitat quality and biodiversity.’’

Volunteers will be required to conduct species monitoring on a regular basis and will gather data on a range of wildlife. No formal qualifications are required but fundamental identification knowledge for each survey subject is essential.

Please contact Trainee Ranger, Laura Goble, if you have the relevant experience and would like to find out more about being involved in this exciting project. Email: lgoble@eastdevon.gov.uk or phone the Countryside service: 01395 517557.