The Vision
Exminster working together to enable nature and wildlife to thrive. A village recognised as valuing biodiversity and an exemplary part in a wider nature recovery network.
Theme 1 - Building on existing voluntary action
The Exminster Greenspaces volunteers have been working hard this autumn. Highlights include;
- Conclusion of this year’s nesting box project with the last boxes installed from the batch made for us by NHS New Leaf. Over the year, we’ve put up our Tawny Owl box, donated two to the primary school and erected 10 more around the village.
- Completing a programme of tree planting including: Oak in Crockwells Meadow (donation), Red Maple in Spurfield, Crab apple on Teign Housing Land at Townfield, White Beam in cemetery, Apple trees in the Community Orchard, Birch, Oak and Hornbeam at St Martin’s Clubhouse.
- Wildflower seed sowing, using seed collected and shared by the Teignbridge Wildlife Warden Network.
- Maintenance and management of the village tree nursery and Community Orchard.
- Working parties in Crockwells Meadow and St Martin’s Churchyard.
Theme 2 - Community engagement
The Exminster Green Spaces Facebook Group provides a regular flow of topical Green Space and nature themed posts. We have nearly 600 followers and post on volunteer working parties, recent sightings such as the blackcap below and nature based activities.
In the summer we also launched a new Wildlife Gardening WhatsApp group to share tips and inspiration. This ties in with the Devon Wildlife Trust Garden Award which we championed last year.
Through the village Scene Magazine, where we provide a regular monthly column, we were able to report on the results of our ecologist led summer evening bat walks. We picked up a number of locations with common and soprano pipistrelles. The display of feeding pips along the lime tree avenue near Devington Park was probably the highlight, along with a passing noctule bat heading off into the night.
In November, an enthusiastic group from Exminster Cubs braved the rain and joined us in the Community Orchard to plant a couple of replacement apple trees and also to do some native tree identification before heading back to plant some hazelnuts to take away and grow on.
Theme 3 - Partnership working
There have been a number of developments working with St Martin’s Church on the village churchyard, including taking part in an open day in November when guided tours were used to talk about some of the history on display alongside the natural highlights. We discussed some of the work taking place to support wildlife and biodiversity. A laminated guide was produced and can be developed and updated in the future. Along with this, Teignbridge District Council produced an information panel designed by a local volunteer for the Green Spaces team.
Separately, agreement has now been secured to install swift boxes in the church tower which is hoped will be fitted over the winter and attempts made to attract nesting swifts in the spring.
Exminster Green Spaces continues to be an active member of the ACT Wildlife Warden Network across Teignbridge and we also joined the Conservation Volunteers network this summer to provide more connectivity and resources.
Looking beyond the core village, there have been some initial discussions of joint project work with Matford Brook Academy which will be developing its presence in the new Matford development and with ISG limited.
It was also encouraging to pick up some signs of the work on nature recovery, prompting wider connections. For example, Teign Housing approaching Exminster Community Primary School to discuss joint projects.
Reasons to Celebrate
Exminster Green Spaces were proud to be recognised by Devon Wildlife Trust under their new “Wilder Communities” award for making a positive difference to wildlife in Devon.
We also received DWT’s “Saving Treescapes” certificate, recognising the contribution to making Devon Treescapes more resilient.
Finally, the year was capped off with an “Outstanding Individual Award” as part of this year’s Wildlife Community Awards presented by Professor Michael Winter on behalf of the Devon Local Nature Partnership. While labelled as an individual award, it reflets the wider voluntary and community effort across Exminster. My thanks to everyone who played their part.
Forward Look – Potential Project Areas for 2024
- Engaging with the development of the Devon Local Nature Recovery Strategy and Nature Recovery Network.
- Setting the community a challenge of identifying and recording 1000 species across the village – possible links to use of “iRecord” app and Devon Biodiversity Records Centre.
- Exploration of plans for a centrally based Community Kitchen Garden – currently exploring management models and developing a project proposal.
- Adoption of a Young Adult Ambassador programme, drawing on a model successfully applied elsewhere.
- Commissioned further work through NHS New Leaf – hedgehog houses for village greenspace sites.
- Further organisational engagement with local businesses and land managers.
- Working with new partners based in the Matford development to build links across the Ridgetop Park to Exminster.
- Refresh of Green Spaces Trail and Map – draw on parallels with Chudleigh Nature Trail.
- Autumn 24 tree and bulb planting.
We are always open to new suggestions, ideas and offers of help. Please get in touch with Jeremy Pyne or the Exminster Green Spaces Group.