The Wild Edges

Aim

Protecting and Recording Wildlife, Preserving Heritage, Increasing Biodiversity and Connecting the Community to Nature.

This project from The Family Foraging Kitchen, follows on from the launch of our most recent film release of the same name, aimed at introducing the local community to The Wild Edges concept which was commended by Sir David Attenborough.

Within this project, we will:

Offer guided community walks led by a range of experts and knowledgeable enthusiasts, that showcase the diverse plants and wildlife of wild edges.

Host educational learning days on how to look out for, identify and record rare species in Botany (Plants), Field Mycology (Fungi), Lepidoptery (Butterflies & Moths), Chiropterology (Bats), Entomology (Insects), Herpetology (Reptiles) and Wildlife biology. We aim to make these family/child friendly to inspire a passion in these fields of study and reconnect our children (especially those with PTSD from enforced isolation post-COVID-19 and through NDD (Nature Deficit Disorder).

Alongside CORMAC and in line with their seasonal cutting and work schedules, run volunteer community days in the local closed churchyard to maintain the area as an ancient meadow and nature reserve. Create nature habitats, including homes for birds, bats, mammals and reptiles.

Host days/workshops at our outdoor education centre in SE Cornwall, where the land is currently being re-wilded and managed as a conservation site.

Work with experienced and passionate course tutors/members of the community to utilise these community spaces for their benefit in providing many educational courses for mental health and wellbeing and as a source of local food acquisition. 

Advise local landowners on edges, boundaries, perimeters and any permissive pathway management and provide consultation on plant life wildflower meadow/verge creation.

Run a number of community bio-blitz counts. To enhance our understanding of the local biodiversity and contribute to both local and national environmental data, we are excited to announce the initiation of bio-blitz counts in our closed community churchyard in Millbrook and at our outdoor education site. This collaborative community nature and science initiative involves systematically surveying and documenting all living species within these designated areas over a specific time frame. By conducting these bio-blitz counts, we not only promote community engagement and environmental awareness but also generate valuable data that can significantly contribute to broader ecological research. The collected information will not only help us better appreciate the unique flora and fauna within our immediate surroundings but will also provide important insights into the health of local ecosystems. Furthermore, contributing to national environmental databases through our bio-blitz efforts will aid in the formulation of informed conservation strategies and policies, fostering a sense of shared responsibility for our environment at both the local and national levels.

Inspire our community in SE Cornwall to protect the beautiful and fragile landscape in which we are so blessed to call home.

This project successfully funded on 27th March 2024