This is not a definitive list. If you know of or are involved with other wildlife projects in Exeter which could be included here, please let us know.
Exeter's Valley Parks and nature reserves
Large areas of open space, managed for public access and nature conservation, generally comprising grassland and woodland, from spring 2019 long-leased by Exeter City Council to Devon Wildlife Trust. These are at
Barley Valley Park (Alphington & Whitestone)
Duryard & Belvidere Valley Park
Ludwell Valley Park
Mincinglake Valley Park
Riverside Valley Park
Whitycombe Valley Park, Exwick
For more information, see the DWT website
Ludwell Life is a local community group concerned with sharing, enhancing, enjoying and protecting Ludwell Valley Park http://ludwelllife.org.uk/
The Valley Parks, and the Alphington flood relief channel, are linked by a continuous 12 mile walk, the Exeter Green Circle http://exeter.gov.uk/leisure-and-culture/walking-in-exeter/exeter-green-circle-walks/
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| Ludwell Valley Park (c) E. Stallworthy |
Forestry Commission manages Stoke Woods, a large SSSI ancient woodland on the northern edge of the city http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/englanddevonnoforeststokewoods
Local wildlife charity nature reserves
As well as the newly acquired Valley Parks, Devon Wildlife Trust has two other reserves in Exeter, The Old Sludge Beds and the adjoining Exe Reeds Beds, both on the southern edge of the city. The Old Sludge Beds is a mix of reedbed and wet woodland with a circular path. Exe Reed Beds lie within the course of the River Exe and are not publicly accessible.
Old Sludge Beds www.devonwildlifetrust.org/reserves/the-old-sludge-beds
Exe Reed Beds www.devonwildlifetrust.org/reserves/exe-reed-beds
RSPB also has two wetland bird reserves near Exeter, Bowling Green Marsh at Topsham, and Exminster & Powderham Marshes. Bowling Green Marsh has a popular bird hide / visitor centre overlooking the Marsh and Exe Estuary (there is no public access on to the reserve itself). At Exminster & Powderham Marshes there is a seasonal circular trail (some muddy sections at certain times of year; not suitable for wheelchairs).
Bowling Green Marsh http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/b/bowlinggreenmarsh/
Exminster & Powderham Marshes http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/reserves/guide/e/exminsterpowderham/
Each of these reserves forms part of the larger Exe Estuary Ramsar, SPA, and SSSI internationally designated wildlife site.
https://www.exe-estuary.org/
http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/seenature/collections/exeestuary.aspx
Exeter Wild City project
A partnership between Devon Wildlife Trust, Exeter City Council and others, encompassing a variety of initiatives especially with local schools and in local parks. These include mapping habitat corridors, wildflower planting in many city parks and green spaces, and setting up swift boxes at schools
http://www.devonwildlifetrust.org/exeter-wild-city/
One of the Wildlife Trusts' 'Living Landscapes' projects; more information, with 360 degree panorama from the Cathedral, at:
www.wildlifetrusts.org/living-landscape/schemes/exeter-wild-city
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| Bull Meadow wildflower planting area (c) E. Stallworthy |
There are wildflower areas in Rougemont park, Heavitree park, St Thomas pleasure ground, Bull Meadow park, Belmont park and Catacombs park.
Peregrine falcons in Exeter - St Michael's and All Angels church, St David's
Exeter was among the first urban areas to be colonised by Peregrine falcons, which have nested on St Michael's church in St David's for over 15 years. Nick Dixon has been studying their nesting, breeding, feeding and territorial behaviour throughout this time. The peregrines are routinely monitored, studied and photographed by the Exeter Peregrine Falcon group http://www.stmichaelsmountdinham.org.uk/peregrine-falcons/
Nick's webpage www.urbanperegrines.co.uk/peregrine-falcons/
Nick and Ed Drewitt's paper on what the peregrines have been eating http://www.britishbirds.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/article_files/V101/V101_N02/V101_N2_2_11.pdf
Nick and Andrew Gibbs' paper on peregrines attacking buzzards http://britishbirds.co.uk/article/cooperative-attacks-by-urban-peregrines-on-common-buzzards/
Live nest cams at www.stmichaelsmountdinham.org.uk/peregrine-falcons
Devon Bat Group: Exeter section
a local sub-group of Devon Bat Group, which carries out bat projects in and around Exeter, including visits to city sites for bat activity surveys, batbox monitoring, and winter roost recording in Exeter and East Budleigh, plus the city-wide Exeter Big Bat Survey.
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| Inside the Catacombs, a city centre winter roost site for lesser horseshoe bats (c) G. Slack |
Events and meetings are generally organised through the group’s Facebook page and Google group web forum.
Exeter City Bats Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/Exeter-City-Bats/223297294481957
Exeter Big Bat Survey http://bigexeterbatsurvey.edublogs.org/
Exeter's Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery (RAMM)
Collections and displays of birds, mammals, botany and geology.
Zoology www.rammuseum.org.uk/collections/zoology
Botany www.rammuseum.org.uk/collections/botany
Geology www.rammuseum.org.uk/collections/geology
Sylvania Environment and Community Project
Local residents in Pennsylvania have taken over responsibility for unadopted, unmanaged green spaces around a past housing development. A range of practical maintenance and biodiversity enhancement activities are carried out, and there are also local events.
https://sites.google.com/site/sylvaniaecp/home
University of Exeter Distance Learning courses and public lectures
The University runs a number of wildlife related online learning courses, on topics such as bird life, mammal ecology and conservation, fossils and palaeontology, habitat management and conservation, and others, generally starting in September - October
http://education.exeter.ac.uk/dll/list_courses.php?code=dln
There are also occasional public lectures - check the University of Exeter website for latest news.
FLOW project
An arts project associated with the River Exe flood relief works through the centre of the city.
https://floworchardexeter.uk/
https://flowriverorchardexeter.wordpress.com/
