Grants News: Our Latest Projects
This year has been an incredible year for the Devon Environment Foundation. We have raised more funds for local nature-based solutions than we thought possible for a small charity to do in twelve months (over £365,000!) and have supported 20 brilliant grassroots projects with vital funding to deliver tangible benefits for nature in Devon.
None of this would have been possible without the help of our supporters, partners, collaborators, volunteers, event attendees, Advisory Board, Steering Committee, the Conservation Collective HQ, and of course the wonderful people on the ground running the projects. We HUGELY appreciate you all!
Please read on to find out which projects received our support in the second half of 2022 and what our plans are for 2023.
We look forward to collaborating with as many people as possible next year to make even more good things happen for nature in Devon!
SEPTEMBER 2022 GRANTS
Plymouth Pesticide Awareness – An awareness campaign highlighting the issues of pesticide use in Plymouth and its detrimental impact on pollinators to encourage pollinator-friendly action in the city.
In Moss and Moor – An experimental project engaging the local community in growing place-specific sphagnum moss to improve areas of wetland on three sites in Dartmoor and discover if this could be an effective way to regenerate peatlands at scale.
Two Moors Pine Marten Project – A scoping study to explore whether pine marten releases are possible on Exmoor and Darmoor, while engaging the community to gain public support. Restoring pine martens helps to regenerate woodlands and re-balance local ecosystems.
DECEMBER 2022 GRANTS
Plastic Free North Devon – Core funding to enable this exemplary community-focussed environmental charity to build on their work tackling plastic pollution; inspiring nature reconnection; and facilitating sustainable behavioural change in North Devon.
Till the Coast is Clear – Supporting this brilliant plastic pollution clean-up scheme that reaches difficult to access parts of the coastline using ribs and kayaks to clear them of plastic waste and then recycles as much as possible via a Net Regeneration Scheme.
Wildlife Wardens – Furthering our support of this wonderful Teignbridge-based project that empowers local people to protect and restore wildlife habitat in their local area while sharing advice and resources with other parishes so that the impact can be replicated across Devon.
Regenerative School – Expanding our support of the Apricot Centre’s Regenerative School to pilot the Level 4 training in 2023 to enable students to get a deeper understanding of regenerative farming so the transition to nature-friendly land management can accelerate.
DEF’S IMPACT TO DATE
Since our launch in summer 2020, DEF has supported a total of 41 grassroots projects to address the climate and nature emergencies in Devon, awarding more than £565,000 of grants.
OUR PLANS FOR 2023
Our priority is to increase the amount of funding available for grassroots nature-based solutions in Devon by inspiring more people and businesses to get involved.
We also strive to encourage more projects to start-up, enhancing their impact by mentoring them, sharing our expertise, and financial support.
If you’re keen to give back to nature, and help us achieve even more good things in 2023, you can make a donation here or get in touch to support us in other ways.
Images courtesy of our grant partners: Plastic Free North Devon, the Apricot Centre, and Art and Energy.
