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 Welcome to North Devon's Biosphere
Reserve e-newsletter issue 7 (summer 2010). This
newsletter looks particularly at some of the ways that
people across the Biosphere are linking the environment
with economic and social sustainability. The Biosphere
Reserve designation is unique because it explicitly
links conservation, sustainability and learning to
empower communities and bring them together to support a
world class future for north Devon.
Biosphere Sustainable Farming Award
 The Biosphere Reserve is working
with the Farming and Wildlife Action Group (FWAG) to
recognise farmers who are making a positive contribution
to the environment as part of a viable farm business
through their Bronze Otter Award scheme. This year an
additional Biosphere Reserve Sustainable Farming Award,
only available to farmers within the UNESCO Biosphere
Reserve area, has also been given to Hefyn Llwyd, a
sheep farmer near South Tawton. More
Biosphere Catchment Sensitive Farming
project
Recognise your achievements with an environmental
award
 DEBI, the Devon Environmental
Business Initiative set up to encourage Devon businesses
to take up environmentally friendly business strategies,
has launched its 2010 Environmental Awards. Entry is
free. Devon County Council are sponsoring the
Sustainable Devon award (there are other categories too)
and are encouraging businesses, schools and communities
across all sectors of the county to enter. Entry forms and more information.
Tarka Trail Timber
 Sourcing raw materials such as
food, fibre and wood products from within the Biosphere
Reserve provides a range of environmental and business
benefits; reducing our carbon footprint and keeping
money and skills in the Biosphere economy.
As an example, timber is being harvested on the Tarka
Trail using a mobile sawmill to convert firewood into
high quality oak boards, posts and rails that can be
used for stiles, signs, fencing and so on. In June, some
of this sawn timber was used by volunteers to repair the
boardwalk across the dunes at Braunton Burrows.
Over the last two years, a firewood contractor has
been thinning out and coppicing woodland along the Tarka
Trail funded only by selling the wood. This arrangement
has been of great benefit to the trail and been well
received by the contractor and will be continued into
2010. A great example of keeping resources and money in
the local economy. Do you know of others? Contact
us
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What do
you think of the Tarka Trail? Could we
manage it better? The County
Council is currently running a survey to discover
more about how and why people are / aren't using
the Tarka Trail. They need you views so it can be
managed better to meet user need.
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| Look out for printed copies
of the survey at locations along the Tarka
Trail |
Bee decline could cost UK economy £440m / year
As a further illustration of the link between
wildlife/the environment and economy, a recent study has
calculated that were bees and other pollinators to
disappear completely, the cost to the UK economy could
be up to £440m per year. This amounts to about 13% of
the country's income from farming. BBC news article
Healthy environment and healthy communities
The Biosphere Reserve is about more than a healthy
environment. It is also about reaping the economic and
social benefits - health, inspiration, community
empowerment and partnership and so on - that engagement
with the environment can bring.
An example is the Newport Life and Cycle
project; a creative scheme to regenerate
and enhance the cycle path that runs through Newport in
Barnstaple - encouraging more people to use it and
making it a better place to be for people and
wildlife.
The project is a partnership of community groups,
schools, police, Sustrans, housing charities and local
authorities and not about a ‘make over' or ‘quick fix'.
Instead, it is about working with those partners to
deliver real change that is sustained beyond the
immediate life of the project. Newport will benefit from
path improvements such as seating, fencing,
interpretation, signage and lighting, as well as more
long-term plans to create wildlife and community
areas.
 Walking for Health groups -
From Combe Martin to Okehampton, Holsworthy to
Barnstaple these groups provide a range of walks for
people of varying ability that keeps them active and out
in the natural environment.
Ilfracombe Healthy Town
Initiative - on a mission to improve
Ilfracombe's health by offering a wide range of
activities to keep people active, give up smoking and so
on.
Hawthorn project - The
funding decision for this project will be received in
July. If we are successful communities across the
Biosphere Reserve Area will be able to access activities
in the environment that keep their minds and bodies
healthy to resources to create and improve places that
bring people and nature together.
Communities supporting wildlife in 2010 - Biosphere
Action Week.
2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity and to
celebrate, the Biosphere will hold the first of what we
hope to be many Biosphere Action Weeks (BAWs) this
Autumn, between September 27 and October 3rd.
During the BAW we want communities across the
Biosphere to come together to carry out wildlife related
projects. Building on the successes of the Biosphere
Beach Clean weekend and the tree planting day in
December last year, the NDCCS team will advise on
projects, coordinate activities and help promote them to
stimulate involvement and to recognise achievement. We
hope that some funding will be made available to
projects that need it.
Communities within the North Devon Coast Areas of
Outstanding Natural Beauty might be able to benefit from
ring-fenced AONB Sutainable Development Fund money for
biodiversity projects. Contact Rupert Hawley for more
details.
Planning is well underway so if you and your
community have an idea to benefit wildlife we would like to
hear from you. Project guidance will be made
available through the Biosphere Reserve website
shortly.
Winkleigh Carbon Reduction Plan
In October last year Winkleigh held the Biosphere
Reserve's first ever energy clinic with help from the
University of East Anglia. The results showed that the average
CO² emissions per person was 7.1 tonnes, slightly higher
than the Torridge average of 6.8 tonnes. Nearly two
thirds of these emissions came from heating and hot
water with nearly a quarter coming from private
vehicles.
 The University of East Anglia has
looked at possible ways that the community of Winkleigh
can meet government carbon reduction targets of 34% and
40% by 2020 focussing on programmes to increase house
insulation and replace inneficient boilers. In total,
the recommendations show a reduction in Carbon emisions
of 40% by 2020, with a net cost to the community of £56
per household per year for ten years.
A Winkleigh Green Team has been set up to consider
how best to drive forward the recommendations.
Partnership news
The Partnership is developing position statements and
approaches on a variety of issues including the Atlantic Array, Marine Conservation Zones (as a
response to the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009) and
on Integrated Land Management - management of land that
takes into account climate change adaption and
mitigation, biodiversity, social and economic factors
and so on. Bringing those factors together at a
landscape scale. These statements will be uploaded on to
the website once they are complete.
 Join the North Devon's Biosphere
Reserve cause on Facebook (click logo)
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Congratulations
 to all of those that took part in
the AONB 50th Anniversary marathon and half marathon on
27th June. Photos.
The Biosphere was also present at North Devon
Festival events at Fremington, Oceanfest at Croyde and
the Appledore Visual Arts Festival. Look out for us at
the North Devon Show in August!
More primary schools using Biosphere education
resources
6 new schools attended a familarisation day at
Saunton Sands Hotel for the Biosphere Reserve's
"People and Environment" primary school resources. There
are now 20 schools using the resources across Devon but
we always need more. More
The Beaford Arts Biosphere Project
With over 7,000 images of north Devon from the
beginnings of photography in our area, the Beaford Old
Archive is an unrivalled local record of historical
change. North Devon's position as a Biosphere Reserve
means that issues of past, present, and environmental
change are of particular importance. The images
illustrate these themes.
Eight of north Devon's leading contemporary artists
selected images from the Beaford Old Archive and
reinterpreted them for the 21st century. This pack is
now available to 75% of Devon Primary Schools through
Schools Library Services and can be accessed on the Beaford website
Sea for Life - learning about the seashore
The Sea for Life project that uses the marine and
coastal environment to bring together science and art
was a success in 2009 and a new programme is underway in
2010.
Throughout this summer, Appledore Arts and
Hallsannery will be working with primary school pupils
and teachers from Georgeham, Instow and Woolacombe, and
three local artists. Look out for the pupil's artwork in
the next e-newsletter.
AONB Seashore Discovery Day at Combe Martin
Museum and beach.
Part of the AONB 50th celebrations, this event
brought together locals and visitors, young and old to
discover the life that abounds on the seashore.
With the help of trained volunteers from Coastwise,
60 species were identified from the shore and inside the
museum some lovely ‘artificial' species were created.
‘Professor Blenny' (from Exmoor Zoo) helped children
create eco-friendly crabbing implements from wood and
string.
Thanks then to all those involved - museum
volunteers, Coastwise members, Exmoor National Park,
Exmoor Zoo and Ilfracombe Aquarium staff. More
Stamps celebrate Biodiversity
This year, the Royal Mail has launched a number of
commerative stamp sets linked to International Year of
Biodiversity. The latest focusses on endangered mammals.
More
Devon Wordquest - linking landscape and
literature
Over the years, many extraordinary words have been
written about this watery, windy, grassy, breathtakingly
beautiful Devon. The Wordquest project wants you to
follow your own quest and find your own words to
describe, celebrate and navigate the county, the
Biosphere Reserve and your local patch. Wordquest is
just starting and will be a wonderful opportunity for
communities, schools and others to tell their story.
Find out more at http://www.wordquestdevon.info
...and then there's music
Our friend Harry Williamson played the solo parts in
the world premier of his Tarka Symphony in Melbourne in
February. The music is inspired by the wonderful Devon
environment written about in 'Tarka the Otter' the
famous book written by his father Henry. The work is
linked to the "Watermark Australia" project that
highlights the issue of climate change and water use in
Australia. Listen
and watch a sample of the music and some stunning
visuals on Youtube.
What music sums up your thoughts
about the Biosphere Reserve? Tell us and send us a link
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