Finding Nature’s Footprints – North Devon Coast

Finding Nature’s Footprints is a three-year National Lottery Heritage Supported project working with communities to survey, map and take action for the fantastic wildlife of the North Devon Coast National Landscape

We are working with people to improve wildlife identification, learn species survey skills and increase enjoyment of our local countryside and coast through engagement activities, wildlife recording days and BioBlitz events. Connecting with a range of groups and volunteers, we explore the outdoors, learning about the species found within the landscape and the habitats they need to thrive.

All wildlife records and information will be used to support action by communities, volunteers, landowners and local agencies to develop community-led nature recovery plans and take action for habitat enhancement and nature conservation.

North Devon Coast National Landscape have teamed up with partners across North Devon to provide opportunities for new audiences in the area to connect with nature and benefit from the nationally designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

To get involved or to find out more please contact joe.newberry@devon.gov.uk

We have just completed Year 2 of the project! Thank you to everyone who has participated or helped us. We appreciate you so much!
Year three will be more people-focused, as we’ll be working with partners and local groups to coordinate action for nature recovery across the national landscape.
Come spring, though, we will still be hosting a range wildlife spotting and recording activities, so keep an eye out!

Also… We’re hiring!

Do you enjoy connecting people to our natural world? Do you have a passion for working with communities to support wildlife? 🦋

Apply to be the Finding Nature’s Footprints Project Coordinator here!

This is a 12 month fixed term role working across the National Landscape to support communities in recording and enhancing the terrestrial species and habitats of the North Devon Coast.

Year 2 summary:

Local Nature Recovery Workshops

We recently held three workshops across the North Devon Coast. We asked the community for their views and concerns on how best to help nature recover in their area. This feedback will be instrumental in our producing of a Community-led Action Plan for Nature Recovery in the National Landscape, which will go on to direct future nature conservation action.

Visit the main events page to see what else is happening in the North Devon Coast National Landscape.

This project is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. An interim evaluation has, therefore, been carried out for the first year of the project. The evaluation covers the project’s aims, funding breakdown, achievements, challenges and suggested improvements. You can find the evaluation document here.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest funder for the UK’s heritage. Using money raised by National Lottery players they support projects that connect people and communities to heritage. Their vision is for heritage to be valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future. From historic buildings, our industrial legacy and the natural environment, to collections, traditions, stories and more. Heritage can be anything from the past that people value and want to pass on to future generations. We believe in the power of heritage to ignite the imagination, offer joy and inspiration, and to build pride in place and connection to the past