Connecting People and Landscapes

Bringing together farmers and communities across Devon to create a more resilient landscape in the face of changing climate. 

Made possible with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Connecting People and Landscapes is looking at the impact that climate change is having on wildlife in farming landscapes, focussing on nine threatened nocturnal mammal species. It aims to build understanding of how nature-friendly regenerative farming supports biodiversity and creates resilient landscapes, bringing communities and farmers together to connect and learn through events, activities, and wildlife monitoring. 

There will be events and activities on farms and in communities to raise awareness and inspire action to care for the ecosystems that support us, our food production, and wildlife.  

Connecting People and Landscapes will also train and support a community of volunteers and Citizen Scientists to help survey wildlife and monitor biodiversity on farms. 

Ways to take part and become part of a community working to create a more resilient landscape: 

• become a Citizen Scientist and help with surveying wildlife 
• get to know the people that grow our food 
• come along to farm events and wildlife walks 
• learn how farming can support biodiversity 
• help out with hands-on conservation activities on farms 
• meet local people taking action for wildlife and share ideas, skills, and knowledge 

Devon Communities Together is providing community engagement for the project. We are leading focus groups, establishing a youth panel and running farm engagement events. More information will be available as these activities become live. 

To find out more about the project, go to the Bat Conservation Trust website where you will find information on communities and volunteering, working with farmers, nocturnal mammals and climate change and bats, woodlands and climate change. 

Connecting People and Landscapes is a multi-partner project led by the Bat Conservation Trust. You can find out more about the partner organisations here. 

Picture credits: (c) Sebastian Allen-Mepham/www.bats.org.uk