Project Dates: 01.06.2025 to 1.03.2026

The fourth year of DEF’s support of this Community Small Grants scheme to tackle landscape regeneration; biodiversity enhancements; river restoration; marine and coastal conservation; and community understanding of why we need to protect nature, wildlife and our natural environment.

The small grants aim to kick start hyper-local community-based projects which will also result in increased community engagement and increased levels of wellbeing.

The grant scheme falls within a wider field of work through the Wild About Devon initiative (part of the Devon Local Nature Partnership and funded by Devon County Council). This is headed up by a Steering Group of environmental and community experts and works to support community action for nature through resource signposting, networking events and celebrating successes.

Objectives: The scheme aims to tackle the biodiversity crisis, specifically within Devon, and increase local engagement with nature by providing funding to community groups that might struggle to find it elsewhere. The grant scheme provides small grants to community groups to start or advance their wildlife projects, and to acquire advice, equipment, and other resources.

Methodology: The scheme is open to any community group and organisations within the administrative county of Devon and prioritises smaller-scale, local projects that may not be able to access larger funding opportunities. It is administered by the Wild About Devon coordinators and Devon Communities Together (DCT). A panel made up of members from the Wild About Devon, the DCT team and other environmental and community organisations from the Wild About Devon Steering Group, will assess the applications. Funded projects will be monitored to assess the project’s fulfilment, community engagement, environmental outcomes, successes and challenges.

See impact updates from DEF’s Wild About Devon Year 3 project HERE.

IMPACT SUMMARY OCTOBER 2025: 

Project Activities:

With so many projects supported, some examples:

• Friends of the River Axe: Kit Brook River Restoration project is to carry out a survey of the full length of the Kit Brook (six miles) to establish signs (an absence) of water voles, otters, beavers and water crowfoot.
• Bishopsteignton Parish Council & Community Committee for Climate Impact Action: New Leaf, a local NHS mental health recovery project will make the boxes. Service users will build them, then be invited to take part in the installation, as well as help monitor use of the boxes.
• Tate Valley Trust: help to walk 8 miles of the Tale 4 or 5 times a summer. Allow monitoring of the the visual health of the river and report issues or ask for water quality monitoring from Devon Wildlife Trust and West Country Rivers Trust.
• St Sidwell’s Community Centre: This project will enhance local biodiversity and climate resilience through two ke initiatives. Firstly, to undertake hedge laying during the autumn/winter period, when birds are not nesting. Secondly, to introduc a wildlife pond to our garden.

 

Project Outcomes:

• 52 grant applications have were received. 22 grants have been awarded totalling £5000. The successful applicants were from community led groups, education providers, town and parish councils, community facilities and youth organisations across Devon.
• Habitat creation and restoration: pond creation, wildflower meadow establishment, hedge-laying, and scything training.
• Wildlife protection: installation of swift boxes, barn owl boxes, tawny owl boxes, bat boxes, and swift calling systems.
• Education and engagement: subsidised forest school sessions for families on low incomes, training in traditional land management skills (e.g. scything and hedge laying).
• Practical conservation tools: provision of coppicing equipment, chest waders for river monitoring, bug pots, sweep nets, and river testing kits.