HUNDREDS of people descended on to Meldon Old Quarry last week for a festival of wildlife activities.
Meldon Wildlife Festival drew in a large audience, including members of Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council, thanks to the work of Dartmoor National Park Authority.
The festival brought together a wide range of wildlife organisations who set up a ‘tented village’ that drew people from the wider Okehampton area.
A spokesperson from DNPA said: ‘We were delighted to welcome councillors from Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council throughout the day. The council, along with Duchy of Cornwall, own the Meldon Old Quarry area with Okehampton Hamlets owning Meldon Woods which was the location for our dormouse and pied flycatcher activities. The parish council was particularly supportive when we were “creating” this event.
‘Our own experts led workshops, we also had the Devon Mammal Group and the Devon Reptile and Amphibian Group. In addition, there were opportunities to make take home trophies that would help wildlife in the form of bee motels and bird boxes. Opportunities to remain engaged through citizen science projects and further community engagement were provided by Plantlife, South West Water and Westcountry Rivers Trust — helping develop nature guardians for the future.’
Okehampton rural Devon County Councillor Kevin Ball has followed the development of this event with interest and this year was able to support it from his locality fund: ‘I am delighted to support the Meldon Wildlife Festival, Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council and Dartmoor National Park with a donation of £500 from my Devon County Councillor locality fund.
‘I have taken the time to talk to exhibitors and visitors and I am really impressed with the range of activities on offer and the level of engagement from the public.
‘I hope my contribution will help the Meldon Wildlife Festival to grow and develop into the future.’
DNPA thanked the partners for their ‘huge support’ and providing a wide range of activities to help make the event a huge success.