Last month over 200 school children braved the winter snow and rain to join the South Devon National Trust Rangers for their fortnight of schools activities.
Year 5 and 6 pupils from seven local schools travelled to the National Trust sites at East Soar Farm and Wembury beach, where stream and pond dipping, gorse cutting and scavenger hunts were all on the agenda.
The first week, which was unseasonably cold, was held at East Soar Farm, with Kingsbridge, Loddiswell, Malborough and Stokenham primary schools all attending. Thankfully the team had use of the East Soar Farm...
A leading Devon charity is offering local children the chance to become the next Chris Packham or Kate Humble. This summer Devon Wildlife Trust is running two weeks of wildlife Discovery Days where kids will learn the skills that will help them become top nature sleuths.
Bookings are being taken now for Discovery Days which will take place at two of the Trust’s wonderful Devon venues. At Wembury Marine Centre, children aged 8 to 11 can book for a week of marine-focussed fun. The event takes place 8.30am-4pm between Monday 5 and Friday 9 August. While at Woodah Farm, near...
East Devon’s own Axe Estuary Wetlands are set to feature on popular BBC One programme Countryfile this weekend.
East Devon District Council’s Countryside team recently welcomed presenters Matt Baker and Julia Bradbury to the Wetlands as they filmed a series of stories about the area.
The programme is set to be broadcast on BBC One on Sunday 17 March at 6:30pm.
During their visit to East Devon on Friday 1 March, cameras caught up with the Axe Estuary Ringing Group, who were ringing birds following cannon netting at dawn; looked at salinity monitoring and control of...
According to National Trust wildlife experts, unsettled, unpredictable and at times chaotic weather has meant that last year was a particularly challenging one for wildlife.
Whilst birds and insects have struggled, slugs and orchids have done well throughout Britain in our special places.
Matthew Oates, Naturalist at the Trust, said: "This has been a highly polarised year, with wildlife in the places we look after doing either remarkably well or incredibly badly.
"In general, plants and slugs were the big winners and insects the big losers. But even in this wet...
Light pollution is often associated with negative effects on wildlife, but research undertaken by the University of Exeter now sheds some light on the subject. Ecologists have found that by mimicking a perpetual full moon, the gas flares and electrical lighting along Scotland's Forth estuary are helping shorebirds stock up on more food during the winter to fuel their spring migration. The research – the first to use night-time light data from US military satellites to study animal behaviour – is published this week in the British Ecological Society's Journal of Animal Ecology.
University of Exeter scientist Dr Fiona Mathews has discovered one of Britain’s rarest mammals living in East Devon. Members of the public were treated to a surprise close encounter with the Grey long-eared bat, believed to be one of only 1,000 individuals in the country, at an event organised by East Devon District Council’s Countryside Service at the Axe Estuary Wetlands.
The bat evening was part of a regular Wet and Wild Weekend – a celebration of the wildlife of the Axe Estuary Wetlands attracting nearly 500 people. Dr Mathews and fellow bat-enthusiast Adrian Bayley...
Look at wildlife close up with a digital microscope and magnifying glasses and draw the patterns revealed.
Drop in 10.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm
All children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult. Accompanying adults can watch/supervise for free. Some activities are messy so do wear clothes that can get dirty. If an activity is busy there may be a short wait.
Woodlandfun Forest School will be joining us for a couple of days of wood craft, fire craft and lots more.
Have a go at willow weaving, or see an expert from Serious Outdoor Skills demonstrate fire by friction, find out how to make nettle soup or natural cordage.
Other activities include:
Bug Spot - Come and see who lives on the forest floor, look and learn with the big terrainium.
Wildlife Signs - Take a look at the display of woodland creatures, learn about tracks and feeding signs.
Demonstrations will take place at noon and 2pm in the Pleasure...
An illustrated presentation on the wildlife of Dartmoor by Brian Maddock, naturalist and Dartmoor National Park Walks Guide organised by Bovey Tracey DWT Local Group.
As energy tariffs hit front page news, TV Dragon Deborah Meaden and around 250 representatives from renewable energy companies, trade associations, environment and development charities, the National Federation of Women's Institutes (NFWI) and faith groups lined up outside the Treasury in a united call on David Cameron to step in, green our electricity, and get all parts of his Government to start taking the green economy seriously.
The action took place on the morning Energy Secretary Ed Davey delivered a 'myth busting' speech about the forthcoming Energy Bill at an event hosted...
