A Moor Wild Devon
Devon is a special place
From rivers and bogs to blooming heather and wild open skies, our moorland and heathland nature reserves are home to remarkable wildlife. But Devon’s moors and heaths are under growing pressure from increased visitor numbers, habitat loss, and a rising risk of wildfires. And with climate change bringing more extreme weather, the wildlife that depends on these special places urgently needs help.
We need your support to raise £18,000 so that we can carry out practical work to protect and restore these wonderful Devon landscapes, bringing wildlife back so that summer adventures may be filled with unforgettable nature encounters such as:
Dartford warblers – almost wiped out entirely in the 1960s - proudly singing from the top of a gorse stem.
The adder – our iconic snake - basking in the sun amongst heather or on a warm rock.
High brown fritillaries – one of the UK’s rarest butterflies – drifting through our Dartmoor valleys
Credit RossHoddinott/2020Vision
As spring turns to summer, wildlife needs healthy, thriving habitats to raise young. But growing visitor pressure and risk of wildfires is adding greater strain.
That’s why we need to act now: to strengthen these special places, protect the wildlife that depends on them, and ensure Devon can be enjoyed not just this summer, but for many years to come.
Please donate now for a Moor Wild Devon
Your donation turns into action for Devon’s wildlife. Here’s where it goes:
Dartford warbler. Photo: Jon Hawkins
Protecting rare birds: We’ll create the ideal mix of shelter and sunlight for species like the Dartford warbler and nightjar—essential for feeding, nesting, and raising their young.
Through careful habitat management, we ensure ground-nesting birds have ideal conditions on our heathland reserves.
Adder © Amy Lewis
Safeguarding reptiles - like adders from devastating wildfires by creating fire breaks, which help preserve a mosaic of habitats for basking, hunting, and shelter.
Adders reproduce slowly and rarely travel far, so protecting these populations is critical. By reducing the risk of wildfires, we can ensure these iconic snakes can survive and recover.
High brown fritillary.
Restoring threatened butterflies - like the high brown fritillary, which are already beginning to make a comeback on our Dartmoor reserves thanks to our habitat improvements.
By managing bracken growth on these sites, we can create the right conditions for these butterflies, which rely on a delicate mix of shelter and sunlight to flourish.
What your donation could achieve. Out on the moors and the heathland, every pound makes a difference - here’s how:
Tools to restore ideal habitat for ground nesting birds
Like nightjars and Dartford warblers
Bringing back the perfect mix of shelter and sunshine
For threatened butterflies like the high brown fritillary
Setting up fire breaks to protect wildlife
Including reptiles such as adders and lizardsWhether it’s in the marshy ground of Emsworthy Mire, or the pebblebed heaths of Bystock Pools, whatever you give will support our work on Devon's moorland and heathland nature reserves. Let's make a Moor Wild Devon.