Nature Connects

• The Power of Trees

  Forest for Cornwall & National Tree Week  In this episode of Nature Connects, we celebrate National Tree Week (22nd to 30th Nov) with a spotlight on the Forest for Cornwall, a visionary project aiming to transform Cornwall’s landscape through trees. We explore the vital role trees play in supporting climate resilience, restoring biodiversity, and reconnecting fragmented habitats. Our special guest, Ben Norwood shares insights into tree planting and establishment, the importance of trees outside woodland, agroforestry, and landscape connectivity, and how trees are being used to heal and regenerate the natural environment. We also delve into the social and wellbeing benefits of trees, highlighting how communities across Cornwall are coming together to plant, protect, and celebrate them. Finally, we reflect on the deeper value of trees, how they shape our sense of place and foster a powerful connection with nature. Tune in to discover why trees matter more than ever, and how you can get involved during National Tree Week and beyond. Forest for Cornwall - Cornwall Council The Tree Council | Working together for the love of trees Home - Tamar Valley National Landscape Tamar Valley National Landscape Nature Recovery Plan - Tamar Valley National Landscape Tamar Valley National Landscape - TAMARA LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP  

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• Food From the Valley

  In this episode of Nature Connects, host Ginnette Sutherland takes us deep into the heart of the Tamar Valley to celebrate and reflect on British Food Fortnight. Join us as we meet the passionate team behind Tamar Grow Local and visit Wheal Farm, where pasture-raised chickens and fresh vegetables are part of a powerful movement to reconnect people with nature, community, and the food on their plates. Discover how local food systems are not only nourishing bodies but also restoring biodiversity, building resilience, and sparking joy. From community cook-ups to hedgehog-friendly gardens, this episode is a celebration of how growing, sharing, and cooking food can transform lives and landscapes. Whether you're a seasoned gardener, a curious foodie, or someone who simply loves nature, this episode will leave you inspired to dig deeper into the power of local food and the wild allies that thrive alongside it. https://tamargrowlocal.org Farmstart – Tamar Grow Local Your Online Farmers' Market | Tamar Valley Food Hubs | Cornwall The Good Food Loop - Good Food Loop Wylde Market - The Online Farmers' Market https://www.lovebritishfood.co.uk/british-food-fortnight-2025 https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk/discover-explore/nature/recovery-plan/ https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/ https://tamaralandscapepartnership.org.uk/

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• Where Nature Meets History: Biodiversity at Devon Great Consols

  In this episode of Nature Connects, host Ginnette Sutherland is joined by Lesley Strong from Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage to explore Devon Great Consols, a former mining landscape in the Tamar Valley that has become a powerful symbol of regeneration, biodiversity, and cultural memory. Together, they discuss how this historic site now supports rare species like the Greater Horseshoe Bat and the Nightjar, and how managing such places involves balancing the needs of heritage conservation with ecological restoration.  But beyond conservation, this episode also explores the opportunity for nature connectedness, how places like Devon Great Consols invite people to rediscover their relationship with the natural world through history, habitat, and community.   Links and resources Home - Tamar Valley National Landscape Tamar Valley National Landscape   Nature Recovery Plan - Tamar Valley National Landscape Tamar Valley National Landscape   - TAMARA LANDSCAPE PARTNERSHIP   Monument Management Scheme - Tamara Landscape Partnership.   Cornish Mining World Heritage Site   www.heritageopendays.org.uk    Devon Great Consols Circular Walk - Visit the Tamar Valley   Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project - The Devon Greater Horseshoe Bat Project   Nightjar | The Wildlife Trusts   FOTONOW CIC - Fotonow CIC    

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• Beaver and Butterflies: Summer Special Ep 6, part 2 - Butterflies

  In the second part of the two-part summer episode, we head to Greenscombe Woods, a Duchy of Cornwall site near Luckett, where we meet Jenny Plackett from Butterfly Conservation. This beautiful woodland is home to the Heath Fritillary, one of the UK’s rarest butterflies and a flagship species in the Tamar Valley National Landscape’s Nature Recovery Plan. Jenny shares the conservation story of this delicate species, the habitat work that supports it, and how citizen science through the Big Butterfly Count is helping monitor and protect butterfly populations. We also explore how butterflies can spark a deeper connection to nature and how local communities are playing a vital role in their recovery. From the engineering marvels of beavers to the fleeting beauty of butterflies, this two part summer episode celebrates the power of nature to restore, inspire, and connect us all. To learn more about the projects and organisations featured in part 2, visit the websites below. You can also take part in the Big Butterfly Count from the 18th July to 10th August and be part of a nationwide effort to track and protect these vital pollinators.   Links Home page | Butterfly Conservation Big Butterfly Count Home | Duchy of Cornwall   Your host Ginnette Sutherland, Community Engagement Officer (intern), Tamar Valley National Landscape/Tamara Landscape Partnership Scheme (National Lottery Heritage Fund supported)   Our guest Jenny Plackett – Butterfly Conservation, Conservation Manager (South West England)   With thanks Thank you to Ross Sinclair and Jim Baldwin from Fotonow FOTONOW CIC - Fotonow CIC for their technical support. Production This podcast has been brought to you from Tamar Valley National Landscape, one of 46 National Landscapes throughout the UK that work in partnership to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of these protected landscapes. Designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1995, the Tamar Valley’s special qualities are; A rare valley and water landscape A landscape of high visual quality A unique wildlife resource A remarkable heritage A landscape of artistic and public appeal   The podcast has been made possible thanks to National Lottery Heritage Fund supported Tamara Landscape Partnership scheme, a project of Tamar Valley National Landscape, that aims to create a brighter future for the Tamar Valley and its communities, by creating opportunities and positive change through a programme of 10 exciting projects.   Tamara Landscape Partnership scheme - https://tamaralandscapepartnership.org.uk/ Tamar Valley National Landscape - https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk/ Tamar Valley National Landscape’s Nature Recovery Plan 2023-2030 - https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk/our-work/projects/nature-recovery-plan/   University of Derby Natural Connectedness research - https://www.derby.ac.uk/research/themes/zero-carbon/zero-carbon-nbs-research-centre/nature-connectedness-research-group/ Nature Connected Communities Handbook Growing community nature connectedness: A new handbook for growing human-nature community relationships. | Finding Nature.   Wildlife Equipment – we have a range of surveying equipment that you can borrow to find out what’s visiting your garden or community space. Please contact [email protected] for further details.   Contact us Email: [email protected] Social media: @tamarvalleynl – find us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn  

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• Beavers and Butterflies: Summer Special Ep 6, Part 1 - Beavers

  In this special two-part summer episode, we journey into the heart of West Devon and then travel back to East Cornwall exploring two remarkable species that are helping to shape our landscapes and inspire nature recovery efforts across the region. In part 1 we visit a Devon Wildlife Trust beaver trial site, where we’re joined by Matt Holden, the Trust’s Beaver Project Lead, and Mark Elliott, an ecological consultant with decades of experience in beaver reintroduction and management. Together, we explore what it means to be “beaver ready” as wild populations begin to return to our river catchments. We discuss the biodiversity and climate resilience benefits of beaver activity, the lessons learned from the Devon trial, and how these insights are influencing national policy. Along the way, we unpack common myths, shifting public perceptions, and how beavers can help us reconnect with the wild rhythms of nature. From the engineering marvels of beavers to the fleeting beauty of butterflies, this two part episode celebrates the power of nature to restore, inspire, and connect us all. To learn more about the projects and organisations featured in part 1 visit the websites below. Links Beavers | Devon Wildlife Trust Homepage - Beaver Trust Cornwall Beaver Project | Cornwall Wildlife Trust Wild release and management of beavers in England - GOV.UK Beaver wild release: a milestone for nature recovery in England – Natural England Your host Ginnette Sutherland, Community Engagement Officer (intern), Tamar Valley National Landscape/Tamara Landscape Partnership Scheme (National Lottery Heritage Fund supported) Our guests Matt Holden – Devon Wildlife Trust Beaver Project Lead                                        Mark Elliot – Ecological consultant specialising in beaver reintroduction and management With thanks Thank you to Ross Sinclair and Jim Baldwin from Fotonow FOTONOW CIC - Fotonow CIC for their technical support. Production This podcast has been brought to you from Tamar Valley National Landscape, one of 46 National Landscapes throughout the UK that work in partnership to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of these protected landscapes. Designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1995, the Tamar Valley’s special qualities are; A rare valley and water landscape A landscape of high visual quality A unique wildlife resource A remarkable heritage A landscape of artistic and public appeal The podcast has been made possible thanks to National Lottery Heritage Fund supported Tamara Landscape Partnership scheme, a project of Tamar Valley National Landscape, that aims to create a brighter future for the Tamar Valley and its communities, by creating opportunities and positive change through a programme of 10 exciting projects. Tamara Landscape Partnership scheme - https://tamaralandscapepartnership.org.uk/ Tamar Valley National Landscape - https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk/ Tamar Valley National Landscape’s Nature Recovery Plan 2023-2030 - https://www.tamarvalley-nl.org.uk/our-work/projects/nature-recovery-plan/ University of Derby Natural Connectedness research - https://www.derby.ac.uk/research/themes/zero-carbon/zero-carbon-nbs-research-centre/nature-connectedness-research-group/ Nature Connected Communities Handbook Growing community nature connectedness: A new handbook for growing human-nature community relationships. | Finding Nature. Wildlife Equipment – we have a range of surveying equipment that you can borrow to find out what’s visiting your garden or community space. Please contact [email protected] for further details. Contact us Email: [email protected] Social media: @tamarvalleynl – find us on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn

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