Nature Connects

In this season finale, we journey beneath our feet to explore the living world of soil in the Tamar Valley. From centuries of orchards and market gardens to today’s regenerative farming practices, soil has always been the foundation of community, economy, and biodiversity. But with climate change, intensive farming, and shifting land use, how healthy is the soil that sustains us now, and what choi...

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 g...

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 plat...

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 Greate...

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...

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 ec...

In celebration of World Fish Migration Day (WFMD), this episode of Nature Connects explores the lives of two remarkable migratory fish species found in the River Tamar: the Atlantic Salmon and the Allis Shad. These species are not only vital to the river’s ecosystem but also represent the resilience and interconnectedness of nature. WFMD is a global biannual event; however, awareness and engagemen...

A special extended episode of Nature Connects podcast has just been released from Tamar Valley National Landscape, this month focussing on blossom in a Tamar Valley cherry orchard and the great benefits of hedgerows.   In advance of The Tree Council’s National Hedgerow Week (5-11 May), hedge specialist and author, Rob Wolton, reveals the many benefits of hedges during a stroll around South Hooe Co...

Whether you’re planning a day trip or looking to stay for a while in the Tamar Valley, Sarah Bartlett from Visit Tamar Valley highlights just some of the ways in which local tourism providers are offering a sustainable experience, to help conserve the natural beauty of our area. Find out more about Visit Tamar Valley’s eight Green Ambassadors, the sustainability pledge and their work towards a sus...

This month, to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week, we’ve been spending time on the Bere peninsula, interviewing Marketing Trainee Kirsty at Harlings Devon and our Community Engagement intern, Ginnette, as we explore green careers in the Tamar Valley.   Your hosts, Ginnette Sutherland and Charlotte Dancer from Tamar Valley National Landscape, meet the next generation that are benefitting fr...

Find out more about Calstock Wetlands with Pete Thompson, and the wetland area at National Trust’s Cotehele from Lead Ranger George Holmes. Your hosts, Ginnette Sutherland and Charlotte Dancer, from the Tamar Valley National Landscape team, take a walk around Calstock and through the woods to Cotehele, to discover more about these amazing habitats and the wealth of wildlife they support, together...