nature

Charities unite to put nature on the agenda

The National Trust, RSPB and The Wildlife Trusts are calling on people across the West Country to put nature at the heart of debate in the run up to May’s General Election and encourage candidates to support nature.

Together the three charities have produced South West Nature 2015 - a new website that details landscapes, wildlife and the issues these face, across all 55 Westminster...

Two new county wildlife sites for city

Plymouth has two new County Wildlife Sites, bringing its tally up to 26.

Ashery Wood and Warren Plantation and a verge at St Budeaux are the latest locations to have been given the status, which is designated by a panel of experts.

The new County Wildlife Site of Ashery Wood and Warren Plantation lies between the communities of Oreston, Plymstock and Hooe and is owned and...

Conservationists beat around the bush

Scientists will be practising an unlikely conservation technique in a Paignton wood - hitting trees with big sticks!

The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, based at Paignton Zoo, is holding a free BioBlitz – a community nature hunt – in Primley Park, Paignton, on Saturday 20th September, and tree-bashing is on the agenda.

The Trust’s UK Conservation Officer and BioBlitz...

Getting buzz-y in Central Park

Plymouth’s getting buzz-y for the bees with the planting of new wildlife meadows in Central Park.

Plymouth City Council and Buglife will be planting 2.2 hectares (5.4 acres) of wildflowers to create a feast of flowers to whet the appetite of the city’s pollinating bugs such as bees, wasps hoverflies and butterflies.

A mixture of plants including, Vipers bugloss, Field scabious...

Grow Wild in the city

Funky flowers and sensational settings could be on the cards for a community group or organisation in Plymouth with a wild touch.

Plymouth City Council is helping to spread the word about a new fund to transform community spaces from tired to inspired using our native wildflowers, plants and trees.

The funding – of between £500 and £5,000 – is being put forward by the...

A plan to put the buzz back in our local communities

This week Buglife and The Co-operative Plan Bee campaign have launched a new Community Meadow pack – designed to help and inspire local communities to do their bit to help our bees, butterflies and other wildlife by growing their own wildflower meadows.

Rupert Goddard, Buglife Project Officer said "Growing a Community Meadow is a great way to create a buzz in your local area."...

Enjoying The Great Outdoors - nature's own stress buster

Nature has beneficial effects that help us cope with stress at work, according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The research, conducted by Dr Valerie Gladwell at the University of Essex, highlights the power of the 'great outdoors' to improve both physiological and psychological wellbeing.

"The modern era has brought a decline in levels of...

England's ancient trees are under threat

The Woodland Trust is concerned almost 84,000 ancient, veteran or notable trees are in danger from a multitude of pests and diseases, including 7,000 treasured ash trees which could be at risk from ash dieback. More than 115,000 trees, some of which have survived for more than 1,000 years, are registered on the charity’s Ancient Tree Hunt website and the majority of these could face direct...

Half term Stepping Stones fun in new look Rothesay Gardens play area

Families living in and around Rothesay Gardens will be clambering over piles of logs as they road test their new look play area.

The area has been given a wooden makeover and massive logs are now getting a new lease of life as monkey bars, see-saw, a climbing log tangle as well as toddler swings.

Youngsters at Shakespeare Primary and Brooke Green Centre for Learning helped...

Devon Local Nature Partnership appoint chairperson

The Devon Local Nature Partnership (LNP) has appointed Suzanne Goodfellow as its chair.

The Partnership was established last year as one of 48 strategic local nature partnerships formed in England, and its board met for the first time in December.

Suzanne will be taking up the voluntary role with the aim of maximising the economic, social and health benefits obtained from...

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