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 busy. Highlights include;
- Installing our new Tawny Owl box in the Luccombe Oak on Devington Drive. Thanks to Miles from Riviera Tree Services for going up the ladder!
- Adding smaller nest boxes at various locations.
- Developing our mini tree nursery and building our collection of saplings for future projects and events.
- Taking delivery of wildflower plug plants from the nursery team at NHS New Leaf and planting at various sites including the orchard and Crockwells Meadow.
- Undertaking our first significant working party in St Martins Churchyard.
ACT Wildlife Warden Scheme – The Exminster Greenspaces Team are members of the ACT Teignbridge Wildlife Warden network. As part of that we’ve held reciprocal visits with the Ogwild Team and emerging group in Starcross, as well as sharing wildflower plug plants.
Theme 2 - Community engagement
May saw our ‘Exminster Loves Nature Event’ – where we enjoyed illustrated talks from local RSPB team, the Wilder Communities team at DWT and the Ridgetop Park Ranger to give illustrated talks on our collective efforts to support wildlife in and around the community. It was standing room only in the Victory Hall.
The Greenspaces team have continued with regular Facebook and Scene magazine posts on project and nature themes.
Following the focus on wildlife gardening at our May event, plans are in place this summer to launch a community WhatsApp group to share experience and inspiration on all things supporting nature in the garden.
We have now held two village based bat walks with expert support and commentary coming from the local ecologist and ex Exminster resident, Helen Calver. We had around 20 join each walk and while gazing up at our village pipistrelles zipping around. We all learnt a great deal and hopefully added to the wider knowledge of bats in the village.
Theme 3 - Partnership working
The team at NHS New Leaf have been really supportive in our nest box project mentioned above and developing our wildflower plug plants. We look forward to building on the relationship and tapping into their expertise and resources. They are also doing really good things with the nature friendly management of the grounds and orchard at the site.
Work on developing approaches for wildlife management in St Martin’s churchyard continue. We’ve done some bulb planting, including snowdrops, installed 2 nest boxes and liaised with the Teignbridge greenspaces team on areas that have been left uncut over the summer months.
A proposal has also been submitted and supported by the St Martin’s PCC for the installation of swift boxes in the church tower.
Volunteers have held nature based sessions with the children of both Exminster Community Primary School (talking about bees) and New School (exploring all things owl related).
A trial period is underway in discussion with the Parish Council to consider the potential for Exminster to adopt a ‘Pesticide free’ status.
