Friday 03 Feb 2012
Devon Biodiversity Records Centre is this month launching a
new programme of training courses focused on two of the county’s
most important wildlife habitats.
The two - day courses are ideal for conservation professionals
and consultants, as well as people just wanting to improve their
botanical skills. Morning sessions are based at Woodah Farm in
the Teign Valley, and then site visits are to nearby County
Wildlife Sites and Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserves which are
all known for their rich biodiversity.
There are two courses planned; a Woodland Plant ID course in May
and a Grassland Plant ID course in July. Each course costs £160
+ vat (early bird fee) and is conducted over two days.
The courses will focus on providing trainees with a better
understanding of the habitat’s ecology, survey methods and
the necessary plant identification skills. Topics also covered
during the courses will be habitat management techniques and how
to identify invasive species.
Ian Egerton, Devon Biodiversity Records Centre’s Manager,
said: “We have considered running training courses for some
time as our survey staff have a high level of botanical
experience and expertise specific to Devon’s habitats. We
were also keen to ensure that local courses were available at
high quality sites in the county, so that travel could be kept to
a minimum for both the environment and people’s budgets. It’s
important that conservation professionals can add to their
Continual Personal Development and we can also help train the
next generation of wildlife enthusiasts who may be environmental
students or budding botanists”.
For more information about the courses and to book a place visit www.dbrc.org.uk
Thursday 02 Feb 2012
Devon Wildlife Trust’s (DWT) has captured some of its
best footage yet of visiting otters at the charity’s Exeter
headquarters.
Otters have been recorded visiting the mill for the past three
years but this new video is the most intimate yet. The minute
long film shows a mother otter with its young cub. In the
touching footage Mum helps her youngster safely explore Mill’s
waterwheel and sluice gate.
The film was recorded using camera equipment installed thanks to
funding by Viridor Credits Environmental Company. It was captured
using motion sensors at 3:50am on 31 Jan 2012.
DWT’s Stephen Hussey said: ‘Otter cubs have a lot to
learn from mum before they can survive on their own and this new
infrared footage shows how utterly dependent they are. In the
film mum takes her cub by the scruff of the neck, hauls it up the
waterwheel, before letting it explore the inside of the building.
It’s something that generations of otters have probably done
since the leat was constructed in the 11th century, but for this
young otter it looks as if this is its first visit.’
Steve added: “It’s difficult to know how old this young
otter is but we think it may be aged around four to six months.
It’s a wonderful sight and proof that otters are well
established in the centre of the City. Devon Wildlife Trust’s
Cricklepit Mill must now be one of the best places to see otter
in the county.”
To see the stunning footage visit the charity’s website at http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/webcams/
The charity is now setting up a hide in the grounds of Cricklepit
Mill so the public can visit and see if they can catch a glimpse
of these amazing mammals over the coming months.
Wednesday 01 Feb 2012
Devon Wildlife Trust’s (DWT) is offering its popular
adopt a species scheme this month suggesting to supporters that
it is a great alternative gift for Valentines Day.
The adopt a species scheme, launched in 2009 through the DWT
website, www.devonwildlifetrust.org allows people to support the
Trust’s conservation work in Devon, protecting habitats and
species for future generations to enjoy.
People can choose to ‘adopt’ from a list of five
lovable species: dormouse, otter, dolphin, bat and hedgehog.
With each £20 donation, purchasers will receive a soft toy of
their chosen species along with a welcome letter, fact sheet,
certificate, a postcard of the species, a fun activity book, a
pack of six colouring pencils and an update letter after six
months.
DWT’s Phoebe Grubb said: ‘This is a great way for
people to support our work – adopt a species makes the
perfect gift for nature loving adults at this time of the year!
The packs come with great little cuddly animals and are a really
nice way to show your love for someone special.’
The money raised through the scheme goes towards the costs of
carrying out conservation work throughout the county benefiting
these species and the habitats that they need to thrive.
To adopt a species today, visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org ,
or call Devon Wildlife Trust on 01392 279244.
Tuesday 31 Jan 2012
This year why not try a diet that's good for you, good for
animals and good for the planet? That's the question Exeter
Friends For Animals will be asking when they invite the public to
take the Exeter Vegan Pledge in March 2012.
The Pledge is being organised by the group as part of its
campaign to promote a more compassionate, cruelty-free lifestyle,
and was inspired by similar initiatives around the country. The
aim is to provide help and guidance to anyone thinking of trying
an animal-free diet, for whatever reason: whether to reduce
animal suffering, improve their health or reduce their carbon
footprint - or indeed all three.
Pledgers undertake to follow a vegan diet for one month, and
attend a workshop at the beginning and end of the month
consisting of talks, discussions, nutritional advice from a
registered dietician, cookery demonstrations - and of course, a
delicious vegan lunch (after all, eating is believing!) They will
also be assigned a vegan "buddy" who they can contact
with any queries or problems. Burning questions such as "How
do I know I'm getting a balanced diet?", "Where can I
buy the things I need?", "How do I make a cake without
eggs?" and "What about going out for meals?" will
all be answered!
During the month, there will also be a couple of social events
including a potluck supper, where pledgers can get together and
compare notes.
One EFFA member who recently took the Vegan Pledge while living
in London says: "It was so much easier than I thought it
would be. I also learnt a lot about nutrition in the process, and
really enjoyed the workshops. Especially the cake! I would
thoroughly recommend it".
The workshops will take place on 3 and 31 March at the Palace
Gate Centre, Exeter. Anyone interested in taking part should
email mail@effa-uk.org
for more details.
Monday 30 Jan 2012
A £25,000 project to fund conservation work at a farm in the
Teign Valley has successfully completed its first year. It is
hoped the work will play an important part in improving habitat
for rare bats and other local wildlife.
The Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) has been embarking on a major
programme of restoration of hedgerows at Woodah Farm near
Doddiscombsleigh. The farm is a 65 hectare holding and home to
the charity’s nature reserves team.
The farm’s extensive network of Devon hedgerows are a vital
link in the landscape, particularly for the greater and lesser
horseshoe bats that roost in the neighbouring caves. Both species
use hedgerows as foraging routes and also take insects directly
from hedge foliage.
The project is being funded by SITA Trust through its enriching
nature funding programme. Some of the work which has been
undertaken in the first year includes creating 160m of new
hedgebanks, coppicing and fencing 100m of overgrown hedges, along
with an extensive study of bat movements around the site using
the latest bat recording technology. The funding has also
supported training days run by the Devon Rural Skills Trust with
the focus this year on stone and turf facing hedgebanks securing
them for the future.
Andy Bakere, DWT’s Nature Reserve Officer for Woodah Farm
said: ‘The first year has been a great success. We have been
able to make significant improvements to many of the site’s
hedges but there is still a lot more to do. Our volunteers have
been crucial in helping to make this all happen and we are
excited to see how things develop throughout the rest of the
project.’
For more information about the project visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org/sita-trust-special-project/
. To volunteer and help with hedging work in the coming years,
please call 01392 279244.
Thursday 26 Jan 2012
Friends of
the Earth
South West Regional Gathering
171 Armada Way, Plymouth
28 January 2012
Draft Programme
10.30 Arrival Enjoy a cup of tea or coffee whilst browsing our
stalls
11.00 Welcome plenary
11.20 Final Demand Campaign workshops
* An introduction to our Final Demand campaign: find out what we’re
campaigning about, why, and how you can get involved!
* The Dirty Half Dozen: a look at The Big Six energy companies’
dominance of the electricity market and real solutions, for a
fairer, greener deal on your bills
* Renewable energy solutions in the South West: what’s
happening in the region?
12.45 Lunch (please bring your own)
Over lunch we’ll lead an informal tour of the venue
– an old building society transformed by and for local
community groups
1.45 Open space networking and skills sharing
A chance to network with Friends of the Earth staff,
volunteers, local activists and some fresh perspectives on a
range of topics including:
* Friends of the Earth’s Bee campaign, launching April 2012.
Share your ideas and enthusiasm for helping us to save the bee!
* Friends of the Earth’s Greener Products campaign,
launching October 2012. Find out how you get involved. *
Decentralisation and Localism: the latest on the Bill working
through Parliament and what it means for our communities.
* The Green New Deal: what’s it all about?
* Campaigning online: know your tweets from your pokes (using
Twitter and Facebook) and share top tips
Get in touch if you’d like to be involved in the open
space or topic you’d like to suggest – you don’t
have to be an expert, just up for starting a conversation!
We’ll offer support and any materials you need.
3.20 Tea break
3.35 Campaigning skills workshops & practical sessions
* Event and action planning: A people’s public inquiry Bring
stories, evidence and witness ideas for your area and help us
plan a people’s public inquiry into the Big Six energy
companies!
* Community campaign skills-share/How To: Supporting community
renewable energy projects in your area: share your experiences
and hear from those engaged in renewable solutions at the
community level
* Discussion and ideas-share: Broadening our reach: how can we
communicate in our environmental campaigning to attract and
involve people beyond the ‘usual suspect’s?
4.55 Closing plenary
5.10 Ends Join us at a local watering hole for some
social time after the event
Practical details
* Book your place: contact Katie to register a place (maximum
40)
* View a map for how to get to the venue: http://tinyurl.com/bn9lgxw
Transition Plymouth have kindly offered us use of the space,
which used to be an old building society and is now acting as a
hub for community groups in Plymouth. It’s roughly a 20
minute walk from Plymouth train station.
* Tea, coffee and simple refreshments provided
* Please bring your own lunch
* Contact Katie if you’d like to propose a topic during
the open space networking and skills sharing slot – all
ideas and levels of experience are welcome and encouraged whether
you’re new to the issues and want to learn more, or have
skills, knowledge and passions to share
To book or to find out more, contact Katie at Katie.higgins@foe.co.uk
or on 020 7566 1660.
Wednesday 25 Jan 2012
Plymouth Incinerator –
Your chance to fight!
Please spare a few minutes
of your time
As you probably know, an incinerator has received planning
consent from Plymouth City Council and is to be sited amidst
family homes and schools in a densely populated area of the city.
Unhealthy emissions from the 95 metre chimney have the potential
to spread toxins, dioxins and fine particles over an area of
Devon and Cornwall in excess of 1250 square miles!
The Environment Agency recently held a ‘public consultation’
surgery at the Tamar View Community Centre in Barne Barton. This
ran from 1.30pm to 6.30 pm with Question & Answer sessions at
2pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm. Did you hear about it at all?
Since the long term effects of
the incinerator on our environment will be felt well beyond
Plymouth we feel the EA might be guilty of intentionally
restricting the effectiveness of this ‘consultation’ by
keeping publicity low key, selecting an out-of-the-way location
(difficult to reach for most people) and choosing a day and time
of opening that would make it almost impossible for those in
employment or of any distance away to attend.
We feel this is wrong.
Please voice your objection to the
inadequate consultation process by demanding the opportunity to
have a FULL and TRANSPARENT consultation with the Environment
Agency, at a time and location actually suited to the majority of
people in and around Plymouth. The EA have already set a deadline
of February 3rd for any objections. How can we object if they
will not engage with the public?
An objection can be
completed in less than 2 minutes using the simple steps below;
CREATE a new email ready to
send to the following address;
PSC@environment-agency.gov.uk
TYPE " EPR/WP3833FT Incinerator at North Yard,
Barne Barton, Plymouth "
into the subject bar.
COPY and PASTE the following letter into the
email.
Dear Sirs,
Reference: EPR/WP3833FT Incinerator at North Yard, Barne
Barton, Plymouth
I wish to make a complaint.
The Environment Agency recently
undertook a 'Public Consultation' process at the Tamar View
Community Centre in Barne Barton, Plymouth. A number of concerned
local residents attended this meeting and I understand their
questions were not fully answered by your team. I would have
appreciated an opportunity to speak with EA representatives but,
on consideration, I now realise I was actively excluded from this
process by the manner in which the consultation was advertised,
timed and located.
Because of the range that emissions from
the incinerator will have, estimated by many to be 20 miles or
more, any environmental issues will impact on the whole of
Plymouth and much further afield including large areas of
Cornwall (Saltash, Torpoint, Wilcove and further inland), Torbay,
Teignmouth and South Hams yet you decided to only hold a low key
surgery in Barne Barton. I need not remind you that even the
planning application refers to the location as being 'Devonport'
so your choice of venue remains something of a mystery to me and
many others.
Many members of the public would have
wished to attend this consultation yet thanks to your obvious
failure to adequately publicise the event or give sufficient
notice, your determination to hold the event in the most Westward
and inaccessible location possible for most who do not live
locally and your insistence on holding the event on a working day
with access only extending to 6.30pm and the last Q&A session
being tactically timed at 5.00pm! It is very clear that you had
no real intention of this being an open, transparent or a
genuinely 'public' consultation and it only perpetuates the
generally held beliefs that all the agencies collaborate.
This is not 'public consultation' it is
lip service and I wish to initiate a formal complaint that I have
not been awarded my rightful opportunity to engage with EA
spokespersons as a result.
Why was the only public consultation
held at the Tamar View Community Centre within Barne Barton at a
time when working people will find it nigh on impossible to
attend, particularly if they have to travel across the city? Why
was this not held in the City Centre on, say, a weekend?
I would have expected something of such
significance to the future of all Plymouth residents (never
forgetting those further afield) to be well publicised and held
in a location such as the Plymouth Guildhall on a weekend.
I understand that this matter was raised
by several local residents and that your Spokesperson, Judy
Proctor, agreed that a further opportunity should and would be
given at another surgery in a more centralised location such as
the City centre. I assume this will be better publicised than the
last surgery.
I look forward to hearing from you at
your very earliest opportunity.
Yours Faithfully,
Now
forward this original message to everyone you think might be
interested, tell neighbours and friends!
Remember - If you are
forwarding this to multiple recipients (the more the merrier!)
remember to use the 'blind copy' or 'bcc' box for their email
addresses to keep their information private.
Lets remind the Environment Agency that they are here to
protect us and not just wealthy big businesses. We all only have
one air to breathe and one life to live.
Many thanks for your
time!
Wednesday 25 Jan 2012
A sound system has been fixed high on the walls of a Devon
sewage treatment works this month. Not to provide nearby workers
with a disco soundtrack – but to attract swifts.
The South West Water facility at Countess Wear, Exeter, is part
of a conservation initiative aimed at giving swifts more places
to breed.
Twelve double nest boxes have been erected on one of the
buildings at the works alongside the sound system which will play
swift calls to attract the birds to the boxes.
The site is ideally positioned being close to the River Exe,
which is a key landmark for swifts as they arrive each May after
their long migration from Africa. The river also provides plenty
of the birds’ favourite food – flying insects.
The sound system will be activated in the breeding season, in
May, and if it works well, the site could be the summer home to
up to 48 birds plus their offspring.
The initiative is part of Exeter Wild City’s Exeter Swift
Project, a partnership between Devon Wildlife Trust, Exeter City
Council and the RSPB with funding from the Alcoa Foundation. The
project has installed over 100 new nests around the city in an
aim to boost the number of nesting locations for this urban fast
flyer.
Devon Wildlife Trust’s Emily Stallworthy, who has been
coordinating the project, said: “Swifts are small black
birds with scythe like wings that migrate to the UK from Africa
every summer. These amazing birds have declined in the South West
by 45% in the past two decades as a result of a reduction nesting
opportunities. They prefer to nest in the eaves of buildings and
as older houses are restored these spaces are disappearing. These
new boxes are a major boost for the project and for the future of
Exeter’s swift population.”
Paul McNie, South West Water’s Environment Manager, said
“South West Water is really pleased to be partners of this
exciting project as we are committed to enhancing the environment
in our work. The location of the boxes on our Countess Wear
Sewage Treatment Works site will provide ideal, secure nesting
conditions for many years to come. ”
For more information about the project and how to get involved
visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org/swifts/
Tuesday 24 Jan 2012
South West School Of Hypnotherapy is expanding its training
into Plymouth, and is offering a one day Introduction to
Hypnotherapy and NLP at a reduced rate in February and March.
SW School of Hypnotherapy, which also incorporates Mindfield
Training, has developed a successful training model for students
which has been available in Truro for eight years. As
Hypnotherapy and NLP Training is difficult to access in the area,
they now want to expand and offer their services to students in
Plymouth. Whether you want a change in career or just want to
help yourself, contact us today for more information on our
Introduction to Hypnotherapy and NLP. Tel Penny Hawkins,
Mindfield Training on 0845 293 9385
Monday 23 Jan 2012
Devon Wildlife Trust has set the date for its Wildlife
Festival. One of the county’s premier green events will this
year take place in the centre of Exeter and form the focus of the
charity’s 50th anniversary celebrations.
The Wildlife Festival will be held on Saturday 28 April between
10am and 4pm on Cathedral Green. There are already dozens of
organisations signed up to take part including Pennywell Farm,
South West Water, South West Lakes Trust and Wild Aid. The event
has been made possible by a generous donation from South West
Water.
This year the event will be a chance for the charity to showcase
its work in the city through the Exeter Wild City project along
with a time for people to get involve in the charity’s 50th
celebrations.
Jo Pullin DWT’s event organiser said: ”This is the
second time we have brought the Wildlife Festival to Exeter and
with it being our 50th anniversary of DWT we are hoping to make
it bigger and better than ever. Exeter is such a green city we
aim to bring people closer to the wildlife around them on their
doorstep.”
“We are now in the process of looking for other similar
minded organisations to get involved. We want all organisations
to bring an exciting family focussed activity to make the event
fabulous day out. If you love wildlife in Devon please do make a
date with us.”
For more information about the event visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org
. Anyone wanting to volunteer or have a stall at the event should
contact Jo Pullin on 01392 279244.
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