Snce the restoration of Fingle Woods began, ecological records have played an important part of demonstrating the benefits of good woodland habitat management by showing where wildlife is increasing in abundance and range. This blog explains how ecologists have surveyed for reptiles during the summer...
On a blustery, wet Wednesday in the wake of ‘Storm Arwen’ more than 20 attendees, including landowners and woodland managers joined Plantlife, Natural England and the Woodland Trust for a participatory demonstration workshop on restoring habitats for rare communities of lichens and bryophytes. The high...
When taking a retrospective view of the interesting flora and fauna found at Fingle Woods since the project began, we have seen a few pleasant surprises along the way. As habitat creation, restoration and improvement projects are planned, they are usually aimed at target species...
There’s another world beneath the trees that like many essential backroom functions is hidden and shrouded in mystery. It is the kingdom of the fungi, and the autumn is a great time to see them. The power of a name Gills and spore patterns are used to...
Another useful morning on the first day of the half term. Given that the weather was fine it was not surprising to find the wood full of visitors. At one time in the morning we estimated there were more than 40 in the wood. The...
If you start to read about “Green Recovery” you are likely to see the term being used to describe many worthy causes but, you may be left thinking, “what is it all about?”. One good example is the Green Recovery Challenge Fund; set up to...
For the third year in a row, a hedgehog survey has been searching for this elusive little mammal in Fingle Woods. As the habitat is steadily improving, we are hoping to see a similar improvement in their numbers in the more suitable parts of the...
Once again a big thank you to Geoff Foale who records and takes these amazing photos of the insects he finds when visiting Averton & Woodleigh woods, and provides the ID for them and also sends us in a brilliant spreadsheat will all of his...
We are in the 200th year since the Granite Tramway from the Haytor Quarries to Ventiford Basin on the Stover Canal was opened as Devon’s first railroad on Dartmoor. It was an incredible engineering achievement rolling 7 miles across the landscape and, unusually, its rails were...
The lifting of lockdown rules has meant that I have been able to get back into the woods again, catch up with some of you and see what amazing work you have been doing. I enjoyed going to a wood very local to me in Exmouth...