North Devon Unesco Biosphere

06/11/2026

💧🌿 How can Devon become more resilient to floods, droughts and a changing climate?

The latest DRIP newsletter is packed with stories, ideas and practical examples from across Devon.

Inside you'll find:
🌊 Highlights from the WATER 2026 conference
🌿 Natural flood management in action
💧 River restoration along the River Culm
🏡 Advice from Flood Action Week
📊 New research and upcoming water quality webinars

It's an inspiring reminder that communities, land managers, researchers and organisations across Devon are already working together to build a more resilient future.

📖 Read the newsletter: https://news.info.devon.gov.uk/nj4-c8hj1/Share

05/11/2026

🌿 Could you help shape the future of North Devon?

We're looking for 2–3 new Trustees (Non-Executive Directors) to join the Board of the North Devon Biosphere Foundation.

This is a chance to contribute to an organisation working on some of the biggest opportunities and challenges of our time:
💧 Water quality
🌿 Nature recovery
🌊 Marine conservation
🌍 Climate resilience
🤝 Community development
📈 Sustainable investment

We're particularly interested in hearing from people with experience in finance, business, legal services, governance, HR, investment or sustainable development, but we're also looking for people who care deeply about North Devon's future and want to contribute their skills and experience.

The role is voluntary, with approximately 10 Board meetings per year, most of which are held online.

📅 Applications close: 30 November 2026

Find out more and apply: https://www.northdevonbiosphere.org.uk/careers.html

Please share with anyone who may be interested.

04/11/2026

💧 Want to learn more about water quality in Devon?

A new series of free online webinars is exploring some of the biggest issues facing Devon's rivers, estuaries and coastal waters.

Topics include:
🌿 Wetland restoration
🦪 Native oyster recovery
🌧️ Sustainable drainage
♻️ Plastic pollution
💧 Water quality monitoring and catchment management

Whether you work in the environmental sector or are simply interested in understanding more about Devon's waterways, these sessions are a great opportunity to hear from experts and ask questions.

We're particularly excited that colleagues from the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere will be running a webinar on 13 November, introducing the new Catchment Catalyst dashboards, designed to help improve understanding of river health and support targeted action across catchments.

The series starts with:
📅 Water Quality Perceptions of the Exe Estuary and the Wider Exe Catchment
🕥 Monday 9 November, 10.30am-12.00pm

🎟 Free to attend: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/devoncountycouncil2

Buy tickets – Devon County Council

03/11/2026

🌿 A Biosphere is not a designation. It is a relationship.

Today is World Biosphere Day.

This year marks 50 years since North Devon first received UNESCO Biosphere recognition at Braunton Burrows, and it also brings us one step closer to an important milestone: in 2027, the current North Devon UNESCO Biosphere will celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Over the last ten days, we've shared stories from across the Biosphere Partnership. We've looked at rivers, woodlands, wetlands, marine conservation, farming, community action, environmental monitoring and climate resilience.

What these stories have in common is people.

People volunteering their time. People sharing knowledge. People restoring habitats. People bringing communities together. People trying new ideas and working across traditional boundaries.

The Biosphere exists because people care about the future of this place and are willing to work together to shape it.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to that shared effort over the years, and to everyone helping write the next chapter.

02/11/2026

🌿 Nature recovery often looks surprisingly ordinary

When people think about nature recovery, they often imagine rare species or large conservation projects.

But much of the work happens through small, practical changes that help landscapes function better.

A pond in the right place. A hedgerow reconnected. A wetland restored. A corner of farmland managed differently.

On their own, these actions can seem modest. Together, they help create more connected habitats, healthier ecosystems and landscapes that are better able to support wildlife and people.

Across the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere, organisations, communities, farmers, land managers and volunteers are helping create the conditions that allow nature to recover and thrive.

As we continue our countdown to World Biosphere Day tomorrow, we're celebrating the many small actions that, together, make a big difference.

01/11/2026

🌿 Nature recovery becomes far more powerful when communities help shape it

Some environmental projects begin with a plan.

Biosphere Communities begins with a conversation.

Across northern Devon, local people are helping shape projects that matter to them and to the places they call home. That has led to a remarkable variety of activities, from wildlife-friendly gardening and river projects to creative arts, youth engagement, habitat creation and community events.

In Appledore, the Harbour to Hedge group has brought people together around nature, creativity and local action. In South Molton, conversations have explored river health, climate resilience and opportunities for young people. Across Chulmleigh, Ashreigney, Bideford and beyond, communities are developing their own ideas for a thriving future.

What links these projects is not a particular activity. It is a shared belief that local people understand their places and should help shape their future.
As we continue our countdown to World Biosphere Day on 3 November, we're celebrating the people, partnerships and conversations that help turn local ideas into meaningful action.

31/10/2026

🌱 Nature recovery happens one conversation at a time

When people talk about farming and nature, it's sometimes presented as a choice between competing priorities.

But healthy rivers, thriving wildlife, resilient landscapes and food production all depend on the decisions made every day by farmers and land managers.

That's why the Taw Valley & Little Dart Landowner Group is built around something simple but powerful: bringing people together.

What began as a small network has grown, connecting with more than 70 members and holding almost 70 events, creating opportunities to share ideas, learn from experience and explore practical solutions to real challenges.

From beavers and water quality to soil health, woodland creation and climate resilience, the conversations are varied. What matters most is the relationships that develop over time.

As we continue our countdown to World Biosphere Day on 3 November, we're celebrating the partnerships that help people, nature and local economies thrive together.

Devon Wildlife Trust

30/10/2026

🌊 The sea is always changing.

Most of us experience the marine environment through moments: a walk along the coast, a day surfing, spotting wildlife, or a trip to Lundy.
But beneath the surface, change is happening all the time.

New species arrive. Familiar species shift their ranges. Water temperatures change. Habitats adapt. Understanding these changes is becoming increasingly important for wildlife, coastal communities and the people whose livelihoods depend on healthy seas.

One recent example is the recording of a new sea slug species around Lundy that may be linked to changing marine conditions (image credit: Maggs Ashton). On its own, it's a small observation. Together with many others, it helps build a bigger picture of how our seas are changing.

Across the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere, organisations, fishers, tourism businesses, researchers and community groups are working together through the Marine Programme to improve understanding, share knowledge and support a thriving marine environment.

As we continue our countdown to World Biosphere Day on 3 November, we're celebrating the partnerships helping people and nature thrive together.

29/10/2026

💧 Climate resilience starts long before a flood occurs

When we think about flooding, it's easy to focus on what happens after heavy rainfall. Increasingly, however, attention is turning to what happens beforehand.

Across the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere, projects such as DRIP and CRITTER are exploring how healthier landscapes can help manage water more naturally. Wetlands, floodplains, woodlands and connected river systems can slow water down, hold onto it for longer and release it more gradually.

That doesn't just help reduce flood risk. It can also improve water quality, support wildlife and help landscapes cope better during periods of drought.
What makes this work particularly exciting is the combination of nature-based solutions, environmental monitoring and scientific understanding, helping us identify where action can have the greatest impact.

As we continue our countdown to World Biosphere Day on 3 November, we're celebrating the partnerships helping create landscapes that are ready for the challenges of the future.

28/10/2026

🌿 Creating space for nature to recover

Nature recovery can sound simple: plant trees, create wetlands, restore habitats.

But the reality is that successful recovery depends on understanding how landscapes work and creating the conditions that allow wildlife to thrive.

Through the Devon Woods programme, which is funded by the Environment Agency, landowners and communities across northern Devon have planted thousands of trees, created new wetlands and introduced natural flood management features that benefit wildlife while helping landscapes become more resilient to climate change.

One of our favourite stories from the programme is a newly installed barn owl box that was occupied almost immediately. It's a simple reminder that when suitable habitat is created, nature is often ready to respond.

So far, Devon Woods has helped establish around 200 hectares of woodland, distributed more than 50,000 free trees, supported wetland creation projects and delivered natural flood management measures across Devon.

As we continue our countdown to World Biosphere Day on 3 November, we're celebrating the partnerships helping create healthier, more connected landscapes for people and nature.