A dormice nest box scheme in Holyford Woods, near Seaton, has discovered a number of rare dormice living in the woods as well as other small mammals.
The East Devon District Council’s countryside rangers who run the scheme, check the boxes on a monthly basis, under licence from Natural England. They look for evidence of dormice as part of the People’s Trust for Endangered Species National Dormouse Programme.
The scheme was first established in the woodland in 2003, and found a handful of dormice annually. This spring, the woodland had a fresh set of boxes installed, all of...
Join wild food expert Chris Holland in the beautiful surroundings of Holyford Woods Local Nature Reserve for a foraging walk and supper.
The walk, organised by East Devon District Council’s Countryside team, is on Friday 15 May from 7 until 9pm. Participants will learn how to safely recognise and prepare at least 15 wild edible plants to be found in the woods during mid May and will also cook up some of their findings en route. Chris said “Foraging for wild food and cooking it together around an open fire is something humans have been doing in small groups for hundreds of thousands...
When identifying trees in spring and summer, the first thing we usually look at is the leaves. Many have familiar shapes and characteristics that can tell us that a tree is an oak, or a beech, or a sweet chestnut, for example.
But how can we identify deciduous trees in the winter, after they have lost their foliage? Help is at hand.
To celebrate the start of National Tree Week, the East Devon District Council Countryside team are organising a Winter Tree Identification walk. It will take place in the Holyford Woods Local Nature Reserve near Colyford on Saturday 23 November...
