What we do

A vision for Devon

What sort of future do you see for Devon in the next 50 years?  Will the county’s population increase? What will happen to industry, tourism, agriculture, fishing, transport?  And how exactly will the climate have changed and what impact will it have had?

The Devon Wildlife Trust is considering questions such as these and working out what sort of future we would like to see.  Our vision for that spot on the horizon 50 years hence is one in which equilibrium has been reached, where the county is vibrant in every way. 

This long-term, ambitious vision to create a Living Landscape and Living Seas provides the framework for our landscape scale projects, our conservation campaigns and our land management work.

Landscape scale conservation
To achieve this vision requires conservation on a vast scale, working with a range of techniques and partners, both on our nature reserves and advising and supporting landowners in managing their land for wildlife. Devon Wildlife Trust currently has three such Living Landscape schemes:

• Working Wetlands, rebuilding biodiversity in the Culm measures of north Devon
• Avon Valley Project, working to restore woodland, grassland and hedgerows in the South Hams 
• Exeter Wild City, an ambitious city-wide project is being developed based on the principle that the health and wealth of human society is dependent on a healthy and vibrant natural environment.

Land management
Nature reserves are centres of excellence in wildlife conservation. Our Land Management Team employs a range of techniques to manage them, and also advises other landowners on best practice. For more information about our work on reserves visit the Special Projects pages.

Campaigning and influencing
Wildlife conservation requires sound legislation and public policy. DWT works with a range of partners to improve the marine environment, ensure planning policies support wildlife and support farmers in managing their land for wildlife.

Our strategic vision flows from the South West Nature Map which identifies the best areas in our region to conserve, create and connect wildlife habitats at a landscape scale.  Here in Devon, our blueprint is the Devon Nature Map which guides our habitat restoration and re-creation plans.