Top Pledges from August

I'm so happy to say that we have received 800 pledges since we launched this project! So many of you are doing amazing things for nature in your gardens / on land you own and it's so wonderful to see this campaign grow across the Biosphere. 325 of those 800 pledges have been signatures on the Nature Recovery Declaration - of which has even more commitments to nature attached to it. Let's take a look at some pledges we have seen over August:

• Instow Community Primary School are helping to protect hedgehogs
• Tim is working hard to re-establish a small woodland that sits by a river, attracting sloworms, Pygmy Shrews, woodland mice, frogs, toads and a huge collection of birds including Bullfinches, long tailed tits, Blackcaps and a Treecreeper!
• George in Brayford is creating two wildflower meadows
• Sophia in Ilfracombe is welcoming back weeds to her garden
• Horwood, Lovacott and Newton Tracey Parish Council have planted 16 trees in community spaces

Please continue to share photos of your completed pledges on the Pledge for Nature Facebook Group!

SEASONAL ACTIVITIES

1) Create a wildflower patch

There is still ample time left to sow some wildflower seeds. Find our guidance here! 

2) Sign the Nature Recovery Declaration

We've reached an amazing 300 signatures for the Nature Recovery Declaration! Please sign the Declaration if you haven't already, and continue to spread the word about it! 

3) Express an interest to be a River Citizen Scientist with the West Country Rivers Trust Citizen Science Initiative! 

To express an interest in volunteering to monitor a river nearby, please complete a Pledge for Nature! You'll then hear from us over the next month regarding online and in-person training.

4) Devon Whitebeam

One goal of the Nature Recovery Plan is to establish 100 Devon Whitebeam in various suitable spaces across the Biosphere. How you can help:

a. If you know of an existing Devon whitebeam tree, please let us know the location and send photographs – and please collect some ripe fruit in September (before the birds take them!), so that you can try propagating them for a new site (or let us know if you would be willing to share some fruits with a local community group to do so).

b. If you are a community group or school and would like to try to propagate some Devon whitebeam – we may be able to send you some fruit/seeds in late September

c. The Saving Devon Treescapes project is propagating Devon whitebeam at its own tree nursery (and may have a few available in 2022) – please let us know if you have a community location where you would like to plant a sapling once available.

To engage in any of these activities, please let us know by making a Pledge for Nature (www.biosphere.org.uk/pledge-for-nature/create-a-pledge) including your proposed activity in the details box. For community groups wishing to try to propagate seeds, we can provide guidelines on how to do so.

Thank you to everyone who has made a Pledge for Nature this month!