Vine House Farm ©Nicholas Watts, Vine House Farm Bird Foods
Working with landowners and farmers
Wildlife can flourish on farms
Devon is a rural county, with around three quarters of the land farmed. Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT) works with hundreds of farmers and landowners each year through our many projects, providing advice and support.
We offer a range of natural solutions to improve Devon's wildlife, water, soils, air quality and the landscape's capacity to store carbon.
We believe that wildlife (including our vital pollinators) can flourish on farms with good soil and habitat management, and that rivers can be healthy with environmentally-friendly farming practices.
DWT has a range of projects and services for landowners and farmers – scroll down to find out more.
Seed harvesting for the creation of new meadows has been a vital part of the work of the Avon Valley Project
Avon Valley
10 years ago the picturesque Avon Valley supported less wildlife than it did in the past, largely because of changes in the way farmland and woodland was managed. The loss of good wildlife habitat makes it more difficult for species to move around the landscape. The Avon Valley project has been restoring and re-connecting this precious wildlife habitat, working with the rural community to build a network of wildlife rich sites. One to one visits, networking events and workshops help landowners to connect and build their skills and understanding. Find out more here.
Northern Devon Natural Solutions
Working across northern Devon, the team offers advice and support for a range of practical nature-based solutions to improve water quality, reduce flood risk, store carbon and restore biodiversity. Schemes include riverbank protection, river restoration, hedgerow management, wetland and grassland creation, woodland creation and wilding. Find out more here
Saving Devon’s Treescapes
Devon's treescapes are stunning and crucial habitats for so much wildlife. But they are under threat from Ash Dieback which is estimated to kill at least 90% of Devon’s ash trees in the coming years. It will affect everyone, but everyone can be part of the solution. We're leading the fight on Ash Dieback on behalf of the Devon Ash Dieback Resilience Forum, and we are looking for Devon's communities, landowners and businesses to get involved and help us to save Devon's precious treescapes. Find out more here
Tom Parsons
Working Wetlands
Since 2008, our Working Wetlands advisors have been working with farmers and landowners to address potential sources of pollution on farms, with the aim of using natural solutions to protect water quality and quantity, and restore wildlife habitats. Our aim is to ensure that both farmers and the natural environment benefit from the advice we provide. We can offer grants, support for Defra funding applications and practical assistance with machinery such as soil aerators as well as expertise on meadow creation, riverbank works etc. Find out more here
East Dartmoor Landscape Recovery Area
Devon Wildlife Trust leads a new project which aims to secure the internationally important natural heritage of one of Devon’s best-loved, working landscapes. This East Dartmoor Landscape Recovery scheme is part of a pioneering new nationwide programme supporting nature-friendly farming and land management at the grand scale. The key to its success will be at the local level, with development decisions being made in partnership with landowners and managers, commoners, communities and organisations including Devon Wildlife Trust. East Dartmoor’s mix of granite tors, open moorland and heaths, rushing streams, valley bogs and internationally important temperate rainforests, are home to some of our most threatened wildlife. We need to increase the area of good quality habitats and link them up so species can recover, thrive and move around the landscape. Find out more here