Birdsong and Wellbeing: Tuning into the Natural World
One of the most captivating developments has been our data commissioning work around birdsong. We identified a gap in local data and saw an opportunity: birdsong isn’t just a marker of biodiversity— it can also be a powerful tool for community engagement and mental wellbeing.
We are deploying birdsong monitors across a range of rural and urban settings. Even from initial trial phase, results have been heartening. Familiar garden visitors like blackbirds and robins have been frequently heard in the recordings, along with the distinctive calls of nocturnal owls. Even more encouraging, we’ve recorded amber and red-listed species such as wren, bullfinches, common swifts and greenfinches — signs that our local habitats are supporting more vulnerable bird populations.
We’re working alongside our partners including Devon Wildlife Trust reserves and our local parks team. The recordings we’re gathering will help build connections and enable community engagement, demonstrating the value of looking after our local environment.
Innovation Through Collaboration
In May, we partnered with UCL Climate Action Unit to run a trial session with local health and environmental experts, councillors and planning policy officers, looking at useful processes which could feed into the wider Local Plan development. We were supporting councillors to inform a broad set of outcomes that could meet the needs of communities, and align with wider economic, social, and environmental drivers.
The session was a success, and we’ve just completed a follow-up with a second group of Councillors, focusing on the local economic strategy and further embedding and improving the UCL Climate Action Unit process. These conversations are helping to broaden thinking and build cross sectoral relationships — not just at the council level, but also within local communities and organisations.
Looking Ahead
As we continue to explore the overlaps between health, climate, and biodiversity, we remain committed to inclusive, evidence-based approaches. Whether it’s through birdsong monitors, smarter data tools, or collaborative policy development, the North Devon UNESCO Biosphere is building a future where nature and people thrive together.
