DEVON DORMICE GO NUTS OVER FUNDING BOOST
Tuesday 26 Jan 2010
Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) has just received funding to help
with conservation work to improve the lot of dormice at a number
of its nature reserves.
The £4986 grant from the Pennon Environment Fund will help the
charity’s reserve officers to implement and enhance
coppicing regimes at its Andrew’s Wood, Lady’s Wood,
Scanniclift Copse, Sourton Quarry and Dunsford nature reserves in
the coming months.
Dormice thrive in woodland with hazel coppice, as one of their
staple foods is the hazelnut. An autumn diet of these helps keep
them sufficiently plump to survive their annual winter
hibernation. Although dormice are also found in hedgerows and
other habitats, these Devon Wildlife Trust nature reserves are
known to be some of their most important and protected
strongholds.
DWT’s Reserve Officer Jackie Gage said: ‘The money will
help pay for our time on the reserve coppicing the hazel trees so
that they are kept in the best possible condition for the
populations of dormice. By allowing more light into the
woodlands, these activities will allow denser and more
species-rich understoreys to develop. This in turn will increase
the amount of food and cover available to dormice throughout the
seasons when they are active.”
Over the coming months the dormice on the sites will be monitored
using nest boxes and nest tubes which will be put up at the sites
with the help of volunteers. This part of the project has also
been paid for using some of the grant money.
Jackie added: “It’s important that we continue to
monitor populations in Devon, particularly as we are the
Biodiversity Action Plan lead partner for the species. We cannot
continue this important work without the volunteer and financial
support which this funding gives us.”
Pennon Group is the parent group of Viridor Waste Management and
South West Water and through its Environment Fund supports
environmental and social improvement projects across the region
and nation.
For more information about DWT’s reserves and how you can
help visit www.devonwildlifetrust.org