Devon Local Nature Partnership

Meet Devon's ecosystem engineers 🦫

Beavers don’t just build dams. They can help reshape entire landscapes.

By slowing the flow of water and creating ponds, wetlands and wet woodland, beavers can create a whole collection of new habitats — giving insects, birds, amphibians, fish and plants more places to live. 🌿💧

In Devon, beavers are already part of the county’s natural landscape, Devon Wildlife Trusts River Otter Beaver Trial was England's first wild beaver re-introduction project, from 2015-2020!

Think of them as nature’s civil engineers — except their toolkit is mostly teeth, branches and mud. 🦫

🌱 Restoring wetlands and improving watercourses are key parts of nature recovery in Devon.

🐝 Keep an eye out for Asian hornets!🐝

Have you spotted a particularly dark, slightly smaller-than-our-native-hornet visitor buzzing around Devon this summer? 👀

The Asian hornet (Vespa velutina) is an invasive non-native species and a highly effective predator of insects, including honey bees and other pollinators. It has been recorded in Great Britain since 2016, so keeping an eye out and reporting suspected sightings is an important part of protecting our native wildlife. 🌿🐝

🔎 What should you look for?
• A dark brown or black, velvety body
• A mostly dark abdomen with a distinctive yellow-orange band
• Characteristic yellow tips to the legs
• Smaller than our native European hornet

They can be spotted around flowering plants, beehives and fallen or fermenting fruit.

⚠️ Think you've seen one? Don't approach or disturb it, and never attempt to tackle a nest yourself. Take a photo from a safe distance and report the sighting as soon as possible through the Asian Hornet Watch app or the GB Non-Native Species Secretariat.

Early detection gives specialists the best chance of responding quickly and protecting Devon's pollinators. 💚

The Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) recognises the importance of protecting and restoring healthy, connected habitats for Devon's wildlife. Keeping invasive species at bay is another important part of helping nature recover. See the LNRS Website for more.

🐝 Spot it. Snap it. Report it.

🌱 Friday Fact File! 🌱

There could be more life beneath your feet than you realise… 👀

Healthy soil is a bustling ecosystem in its own right. In Devon, a single square metre of soil can be home to up to 1.5 kg of living organisms – from microscopic life to fungi, worms and countless tiny invertebrates. 🪱🍄

These underground communities help break down organic matter, cycle nutrients and keep our soils healthy, supporting everything from wildflower meadows and ancient woodlands to the food we grow.

Devon's varied geology and soils also help create the incredible variety of habitats found across the county – from the wet, acidic peat of Dartmoor to the shallow, calcareous soils of South Devon. 🌿

Protecting healthy soils is therefore an important part of nature recovery. The Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) recognises the importance of looking after the whole ecosystem – including the wildlife we might never see.

So next time you're out for a walk, remember: there's a whole world beneath your boots! 🌍

Find out more about Devon's habitats and how the LNRS is helping nature recover across the county at www.naturerecoverydevon.org.uk

🌿 Friday Fact File! 🌿

Ever heard the phrase "bigger, better and more connected"? It's one of the guiding principles of nature recovery—and for good reason!

Imagine trying to cross Devon if every road suddenly ended. That's the challenge many species face when habitats become isolated. 🌼➡️🌳

By creating wildlife-rich "stepping stones" and linking habitats together with features like hedgerows, wildflower verges and woodlands, we can help everything from dormice to butterflies move, feed, breed and adapt to a changing climate.

It's one of the key ideas behind the Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS), which identifies where habitat restoration and connectivity can have the greatest impact for wildlife across the county. Together, these connected habitats also bring wider benefits, including cleaner water, healthier soils, natural flood management and carbon storage. 🌍💚

🌱 Find out how the Devon LNRS is helping create a more connected landscape for people and wildlife alike.

🌿 Got an idea that could help wildlife in your community?

The Wild About Devon Community Wildlife Grants 2026 are now open! 🦔🐝🌼

Whether you're creating a wildflower meadow,🪻🌸 restoring a pond,🐸🐸 planting native hedgerows 🌿🌳 or bringing your community together to improve spaces for nature, this could be the helping hand your project needs.

This year, the grants of up to £500 (👀👀) are proudly supporting the ambitions of the Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (DLNRS), helping communities take practical action to create bigger, better and more connected habitats across Devon.

💚 Every project, no matter how small, has the potential to make a lasting difference for wildlife—and inspire others to do the same.

Ready to turn your idea into action?

👉 Find out more and apply here: https://www.devoncommunities.org.uk/projects/wild-about-devon-community-wildlife-grant-scheme-2025-0

You don't want to 'moss' this one! 👀🌿

They may be small, but they're mighty and some of Earth's oldest land plants! 🌍⏳

Bryophytes help lock away carbon, retain moisture, provide homes for tiny wildlife, and are excellent indicators of healthy habitats.

Protecting these ancient plants is all part of creating a healthier, more resilient Devon. That's why the Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) is working to restore and connect habitats where species like these can continue to thrive. 💚

🍃 Find out more about how the strategy is helping nature recover across Devon by visiting LNRS website.

Talk about an un-bee-lievable claim to fame... 👀

Did you know that Prawle Point is the only place in Britain where you'll find the incredibly rare six-banded nomad bee? ✨

Despite its stripy appearance, this fascinating bee doesn't collect pollen like most bees. Instead, it's a "cuckoo bee", laying its eggs in the nests of other solitary bees. Nature certainly likes to keep things interesting!

Protecting special places like Prawle Point means protecting the unique species that call them home. That's exactly what the Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) is all about—helping wildlife thrive across Devon, from our coastlines to our countryside. 🌿

🐝 Bee curious? Visit the LNRS website to discover how to help nature recover across Devon.

🌿 Nature in Devon needs all of us. 🌿

Healthy rivers, thriving woodlands, flower-rich meadows and abundant wildlife don't happen by chance—they happen when communities, landowners, organisations and individuals work together.

The Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy brings together the information, priorities and opportunities needed to help nature recover across the county. Whether you're looking to discover projects near you, learn about Devon's incredible species and habitats, or find practical ways to make a difference, there's something for everyone.

💚 Explore the interactive website and see how you can be part of Devon's nature recovery journey.

Together, we can create a healthier, more resilient future for people and wildlife.

📣 Become a Devon LNRS Ambassador

Devon Local Nature Partnership is recruiting a new cohort of Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) Ambassadors and are looking for enthusiastic volunteers from across the county.
As an Ambassador, you’ll help raise awareness of the Devon LNRS within your community, workplace or network, share information with others, and, if you’d like, represent the strategy at local events and engagement activities.
The role is completely flexible, allowing you to give as much or as little time as you can.
To support new volunteers, they will be running online training sessions via Microsoft Teams:
📅 15 July, 7:00–8:30pm
📅 20 July, 12:00–1:30pm

PLEASE NOTE: You only need to sign up to ONE ambassador training.
Interested? Sign up here:
https://buytickets.at/devonlocalnaturepartnership

Help us spread the word and support nature recovery across Devon.

🌿 Why are invasive species such a big deal for Devon's nature?

It's not just that they don't belong here — they actively cause harm. Non-native invasive species can:

🟢 Destroy habitats, making them unsuitable for native wildlife
🟡 Throw ecosystems off balance, weakening resilience to climate change
🔴 Predate our native species
🔵 Spread diseases our native wildlife has no immunity to
🟣 Outcompete native species for food, shelter and space

Devon's wildlife is extraordinary — and it's all connected. When invasive species enter the picture, the whole web is at risk 🕸️

Awareness is the first step. Share this to help spread the word! 💚