Top Pledges during March

Thank you to everyone who has made a pledge on the website, we have now reached over 265 pledges on the Map which is fantastic. We are aiming for 1000 pledges by the end of 2022 so please keep encouraging your friends and family to make a pledge!

• Mark in Kingsteignton has pledged to let a corner of his garden go wild.
• Chittlehampton Primary School have pledged to install up to 20 bird boxes!
• Netti in Ilfracombe has pledged to plant a tree and let her hedges grow: 'My hedge had become overgrown with brambles and otherwise comprised a few sycamore and hawthorn. I have kept the hawthorn trees and am planting a mixed hedge of  blackthorn, elder, crab apple, guelder rose, beech, hazel, and a few more hawthorn.'
• Buckland Brewer will start planting their community orchard.
• The Wave Rangers have been undertaking water quality surveys to learn about Citizen Science with the West Country Rivers Trust. Find out how to get involved with Wave rangers here: or to take part in river monitoring here.
• Tony in Chulmleigh has pledged to install a kestrel nest box and a swift box on his farm.
• Tim in Filleigh has pledged to install house martin and bat boxes and create wildflower areas in their garden.
• Peter in Bideford has pledged to create 4 wildflower patches on his land.
• Skern Lodge Outdoor Activity Centre have started planting over 100 trees: a mixture of crab apple, hawthorn, and goat willow kindly donated by the @WoodlandTrust.
• Leafy Fields Glamping: "We will be leaving areas of long grass and extra native trees on site as well as extra bird boxes wild flower areas along with making our land a wildlife sanctuary in an otherwise area of intense dairy farming".
• Yarde Orchard (Cafe, Torrington) have pledged to install a bird box, a bat box and to let a corner go wild.
• Kim in Hollocombe has pledged to take part in the PTES Mammal Survey and dobule the size of her 2020 pollinator patch.
• Jeff in Dolton pledged to create a wildflower patch and plant various trees.
• Pete in Northam has pledged to let a corner go wild.
• Ellie in Chulmleigh has made a log pile and planted wildflowers in a patch in her garden.
• Sunny Wright in Braunton has planted a wildflower area in his garden alongside doing his Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award!

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Seasonal Actions for April-June

1) Make a Nature Recovery Plan and apply to our Challenge Fund!

Join or form a nature group in your area and make a plan for what changes you could make to be more wildlife friendly!

More information here.

2) House Martins and Swifts

You've still got until the end of April/early May to get your nest boxes and nest cups up! Don't forget to submit your records for these birds nesting on the relevant websites.

Join our event on 8th April on House Martins in Devon with John Walters

More information here

3) Wildflower Patches

Time to get raking and sowing to bring your garden alive with colour and buzzing this summer!

More information on sowing wildflowers here

4) No Mow May

Put up a sign and encourage your whole street to put away the mower this May to let flowers fill your lawn!

More information here

Nature to look out for in April

Spring really is in full swing now. Keep an eye out for beautiful blossoms, busy birds nest building and the early emergence of some bees and butterflies.

Can you see or hear all of the following this April!?

1. The first call of a cuckoo: Look out for the males perched on a dead limb, or a post, and approach the singing bird carefully and slowly so you can get a view of that lovely barred plumage. Let us know if you hear one!
2. A serpent sunbathing: Adders and grass snakes will be coming out of hibernating and sunbathing in sunny spots to try and warm up. Often found on sunny south basing banks in the early mornings. Be careful not to get too close as adders are venomous.
3. Newts 'dancing' in ponds: Male smooth newts look superb in April with big black spots and a wavy crest. They indulge in little underwater courtship dances with the females and regularly come to the surface too
4. Orange tip butterflies: We challenge you to snap a picture of these speedy little fliers. Look for them along country lanes, damp meadows and lightly wooded areas, especially where garlic mustard and cuckooflower grow.
5. Swifts: They normally arrive in late April/early May keep an ear out for their characteristic screaming calls and acrobatic flight.

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Don't forget to check our Events Page for the latest nature related activities and online learning to get involved in. CLICK HERE

*NEW* Download your 'We made a Pledge for Nature' Certificate HERE

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