In Hartland there is a recently established nature group called Hartland Nature Society. They have successfully gathered interested individuals within the parish who have come together to help record and monitor the wildlife they have in their area.
Throughout the Finding Nature’s Footprints Project the team have been supporting the Hartland Nature Society with events, activities and training. This included supporting their very first launch event where interested people came together to discuss forming the new new group.
Other activities have included the Big Garden Bird Watch and surveying Bursdon Moor for harvest mice nests with the help of Sarah Butcher from the Devon Harvest Mouse Project (pictured). They managed to find 3 harvest mice nests and many vole nests! Members then went on to survey other areas around the parish, with more nests being found elsewhere!
The Finding Nature’s Footprints project also helped the Hartland Nature Society set up their own reptile survey by providing reptile plates, small bitumen roofing sheets, for people to place in their gardens. These sheets are then checked throughout the summer to look for potential reptiles using them to warm up under.
The group also carry out mini BioBlitz events to record wildlife, bat walks, plant and bee surveys and visits to places like Brownsham to learn more about the work the National Trust are doing on grasslands
To find out more about the group visit their website