Nurturing nature and welcoming wildlife is the focus for the Tamar Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) team, as it launches its Nature Recovery Plan for 2023 to 2030.

The plan identifies priorities and actions that can be taken to deliver nature recovery in the Tamar Valley.

By working in partnership across the Valley, the Plan outlines proposals to create and manage more, bigger, better and joined-up priority habitats; to encourage and support the management of private and public spaces for wildlife in villages, gardens, parks, heritage sites and school grounds; and to increase opportunities for people to connect with nature, because it’s good for people and it’s good for nature, too.

 A list of 17 Tamar Valley Special Species has also been created, to help focus the AONB team’s nature recovery work. There will be opportunities for local communities to get involved with helping hedgehogs, protecting toads, supporting willow tits, encouraging dormice and conserving a number of other valued Tamar Valley species.

Chair of the Tamar Valley AONB Partnership, Martin Howlett, said: “We welcome the opportunity to encourage the wider Valley community to both embrace and enhance our celebrated natural environment, as a key part of the Nature Recovery Strategies for Devon and Cornwall.

“By helping create a space for the revival of habitats to support species under threat and complement the variety of environmental schemes already in place that are being successfully delivered by our local farmers and land managers, together we can deliver for nature and achieve the national ‘30 by 30’ target.”

Valerie Darwall, project officer for the Tamar Valley AONB, added: “We are really looking forward to working with our community, farmers, landowners, parish councils, local authorities and partner organisations to help turn the tide for nature and enjoy the benefits that this will bring to people across the Tamar Valley AONB and beyond”.

The Nature Recovery Plan and Summary Document will be available to view from next week online at www.tamarvalley.org.uk/nature-recovery-plan-for-the-tamar-valley