Nature Recovery Plan
Start Date: 2019/07/01 End Date: 2024/07/01
In 2019, Blackdown Hills AONB, along with Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) across the country, signed up to the Colchester Declaration. This is an ambitious plan to recover nature in and beyond protected landscapes, build climate resilience and enhance engagement with people.
Farming & Woodland Group
Start Date: 2018/06/01 End Date: 2021/06/01
Following a successful partnership bid to Natural England, a new training and collaboration network has been set up for farmers and other land managers within the Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). This is known as the Blackdown Hills Farming and Woodland Group.
Discovering Dunkeswell Abbey
Start Date: 2019/04/12 End Date: 2020/04/30
The purpose of the Discovering Dunkeswell Abbey project was to raise the profile of Dunkeswell Abbey which has a rich cultural and historic interest. The project helped the local community connect with and understand the site through an archaeology programme, multi-generational engagement activities and on-site interpretation material.
Corry and Coly Natural Flood Management
Start Date: 2018/12/01 End Date: 2020/03/01
Working in partnership with the Environment Agency, Devon County Council's Flood and Coastal Risk Team, East Devon AONB Partnership, Westcountry Rivers Trust and FWAG South West, a two-year project is underway to tackle flooding and water quality in these two sub-catchments.
Field boundaries & linear landscape features
Start Date: 2018/04/01 End Date: 2019/03/31
This project, funded by Historic England, shines a spotlight on the important field boundaries and linear landscape features of the Blackdown Hills AONB and highlights the important role they play in the landscape, their heritage value and the benefits that they provide to people.
Culm Community Crayfish project
Start Date: 2018/01/31 End Date: 2019/01/31
The white-clawed crayfish – the UK's only native crayfish – is under threat. The River Culm, in the Blackdown Hills AONB, is one of only two sites in Devon where the endangered, white-clawed crayfish remains. In January 2018, we embarked on the Culm Community Crayfish project with a view to helping communities around the River Culm learn about, survey and look after this endangered species.
Catchment Communities Conference
Start Date: 2018/10/19 End Date: 2018/10/19
The Catchment Communities Conference, on Friday 19 October 2018, brought together community representatives, land owners and managers, and practitioners from the East Devon Catchment Partnership with a view to working together for the future health of the river catchments of the Axe (including Yarty), Otter, Culm and Clyst.
Blackdown Hills Natural Futures
Start Date: 2017/11/09 End Date: 2017/11/18
Blackdown Hills Natural Futures project enabled us to find out more about the natural heritage of the Blackdown Hills, to raise awareness of the area’s natural heritage and to help local communities to build the skills and the confidence to set up their own nature projects.
Dunkeswell War Stories
Start Date: 2016/12/01 End Date: 2017/08/01
During the second world war, Dunkeswell Airfield was the only US naval air base on British soil. Our Dunkeswell War Stories project set about telling the story of Dunkeswell during this period of its history, and created a series of school resources.
Metal Makers
Start Date: 2014/09/01 End Date: 2015/06/01
For centuries, the sounds, sweat and smoke of iron-working were part of life in the Blackdown Hills. The rich iron-working past of The Blackdown Hills was rooted in this area’s geology and, in turn, the iron-working industry has left its mark on the landscape. The aim of the Metal Makers project was to bring to life and increase understanding of the ancient iron-working heritage of the Blackdown Hills.