Action on climate change in Devon and dates for the diary
Devon Climate Emergency | May 2024
Welcome To Our May Newsletter!
There are many actions already taking place across Devon that are successfully reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing resilience and implementing the Devon Carbon Plan and Climate Adaptation Strategy. Here are our picks for the month!
You can see more positive actions and stay updated throughout the month by visiting the Taking Action page on our website.
The BIG FIX Returns In May And Aims To Boost Repair Cafés
Throughout May, The BIG FIX event aims to breathe new life into broken items. Skilled volunteers repair items like electrical equipment, bikes, clothing and jewellery, fostering sustainability and saving money. Now a nationwide initiative for the fourth time, with 60 Repair Cafés participating, it aims to empower people with repair skills for the future. It is coordinated by Devon County Council.
Devon is now home to the country’s first registered “habitat bank“, a 3.2-hectare site in Duryard Valley Park, developed through collaboration between Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, and BioGains Limited.
The Devon Local Nature Partnership has recently adopted Devon's first Tree and Woodland Strategy. The aim of this strategy is to protect and enhance the county's tree and woodland resources, including those in Plymouth and Torbay, until 2050.
By 2030, the goal is to increase the area covered with trees and woodlands by 3000 hectares. This would increase Devon's tree cover from 14% to 16.5%, which is in line with the national target set for the UK.
Devon is celebrating #NaturallyHealthyMay, encouraging people to get outside, connect with nature, and enjoy being active outdoors.
Throughout May, Active Devon and the Local Nature Partnership will be sharing a variety of events around the county, along with places to walk, wheel, and cycle, areas to breathe in fresh air, and wildlife to spot in Devon.
To find events in your local area, or to list an event you are running, visit www.devonconnect.org and let’s all celebrate naturally healthy month together!
Recruitment Takes Place to Appoint a Devon Climate Emergency Support Officer
The Devon Climate Emergency (DCE) team will shortly have more capacity following the advertisement for a Climate Emergency Support Officer, which had a good response from applicants.
The Support Officer's responsibilities will include communicating the project through the website, social media and newsletter and engagement with partner organisations and the public. It is hoped that the successful candidate will be in post by mid-June.
As a socially responsible organisation, Devon Air Ambulance has been proactive for many years in making its operations as environmentally friendly as possible. Since signing the Climate Declaration in 2021, they have been working with employees and external consultants to survey and improve their environmental impact.
They have set objectives for improving building insulation, reducing transport emissions, favouring investments with strong environmental credentials, reducing waste, and working with green suppliers.
Recently, they have installed EV charging points at their airbases and are transitioning from petrol-engine cars to electric vehicles.
Devon Air Ambulance Trust CEO Helena Holt, said:
“We take very seriously our commitment towards Environmental Sustainability and Stewardship, as outlined in our strategic plan. It is essential that we play our part in working towards achieving the 45% drop in carbon emissions required globally by 2030, if we are to reach net-zero by 2050 to avoid the worst effects of climate change by keeping warming below 1.5 degrees. As a charity that cares for the health of those we serve, we recognise that our ability to deliver our service effectively is very much subject to the impact of climate breakdown and biodiversity collapse. We are fortunate, therefore, to have a highly-motivated workforce that is entirely behind the strategic goals set out to achieve this.”
We are delighted that environmentally conscious organisations have supported our Climate Declaration as we work to deliver the Devon Carbon Plan.
If you would like to learn more about signing the Declaration, please visit our website, following the link below:
Enjoy a three-day festival of agriculture, food, and fun at this year’s Devon County Show.
The Devon Agri-Tech Alliance (DATA) will host a space on Innovation Avenue for its members to connect and showcase their innovative and regenerative farming projects, including running a selection of workshops. Additionally, the Devon Food Partnership will have a stand in this space which will serve as a pop-up opportunity for local food and drink producers to promote themselves.
Workshop topics include regenerative agriculture, soils, solar PV for farms and growing your own with speakers from the Apricot Centre, Symbiosis Soils, Bloom Renewables and Taw Valley Microgreens.
Royal Seven Stars Hotel Ballroom, Totnes
18:00 – 21:30
Join the 12th Totnes LEF! An amazing community gathering aimed at bringing into being a resilient, ecological, just, convivial local economy. An opportunity for new entrepreneurs – and old – to connect, build relationships with peers, supporters and investors. And then 4 entrepreneurs will pitch to the Community of Dragons!
A weekend in the year when farms and other sites with agroforestry planting are open in co-ordination with each other to welcome visitors. A number of Devon sites are involved this year.
Agroforestry is the practice of combining agriculture and trees.
Devon County Council (DCC) is administering grants and resources for tree planting, supported by The Woodland Trust and The Forestry Commission. DCC are looking for community groups, including schools, town and parish councils that would like to plant trees on their land. The land can be public or private, but ideally the land should be publicly accessible, or at least accessible to a specific community group (i.e., orchards and allotments).
Through the new Water Restoration Fund, local groups can apply for funding to bolster their capacity and capabilities for delivery of on-the-ground projects which improve the water environment.
Grants to Help Get People Back on their Bikes this Summer
Grants of up to £3,500 are available to deliver cycling events to get people back on their bikes this summer.
The Big Bike Revival Programme will support activity to encourage people who do not currently cycle to consider either starting or returning to cycling.
The closing date for applications is the 25th June 2024.
Designed to seed and support schemes to increase the amount of reuse and improve involvement and awareness of reuse projects such as Repair Cafés, Libraries of Things and clothes swap events in East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon, North Devon, South Hams, Teignbridge, Torridge, and West Devon.
To encourage and support more groups, two rounds of funding are proposed every year and applications can only be made once every 2 years (i.e., once every 4 rounds). The closing dates are:
Round 1: Wednesday 26th June 2024
Round 2: Wednesday 27th November 2024
For more information or to request an information and application form, please contact Jennifer.cooper@devon.gov.uk.
There are many actions already taking place across Devon that are successfully reducing greenhouse gas emissions, increasing resilience and implementing the 
Throughout May, The BIG FIX event aims to breathe new life into broken items. Skilled volunteers repair items like electrical equipment, bikes, clothing and jewellery, fostering sustainability and saving money. Now a nationwide initiative for the fourth time, with 60 Repair Cafés participating, it aims to empower people with repair skills for the future. It is coordinated by Devon County Council.
Devon is now home to the country’s first registered “habitat bank“, a 3.2-hectare site in Duryard Valley Park, developed through collaboration between Devon County Council, Exeter City Council, and BioGains Limited.
The Devon Local Nature Partnership has recently adopted Devon's first Tree and Woodland Strategy. The aim of this strategy is to protect and enhance the county's tree and woodland resources, including those in Plymouth and Torbay, until 2050.
Devon is celebrating 
Find out about upcoming events, funding and opportunities across Devon below.
