Staff from Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter recently joined forces with the Barn Owl Trust for a two-day volunteering project at the Trust’s nature reserve, helping to maintain a thriving natural environment for the iconic birds.
The Trust, located in a tranquil valley on the edge of Dartmoor, established in 1988 is a small UK charity working hard to conserve one of the most beautiful birds on Earth. Its core mission is to conserve the barn owl and its environment. Its core mission is to rehabilitate wild owls and, wherever possible, release them back into their natural habitats across Devon and beyond.
Staff from Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter dedicated their time and energy to the Trust’s conservation efforts by cutting back and clearing blackthorn bushes which were encroaching on rough grassland habitats around the reserve. Grassland is the ideal habitat for field voles, which are the barn owls’ main food source, and when blackthorn grows back, brown hairstreak butterflies lay their eggs on young shoots.
The volunteers’ efforts will contribute to the long-term health of the reserve’s wooded valley, increasing the amount of suitable habitat available in which wild barn owls can hunt over and enhancing the environment for other wildlife.
Andrew Spicer, Managing Director at Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter, said: “We’re proud to support the Barn Owl Trust’s incredible efforts to protect and rehabilitate these beautiful birds. It’s inspiring to know that our team’s work will help create a safer environment for wild barn owls, enabling the Trust to continue their important work with wildlife. Giving back to the local community and helping to protect natural habitats are values we’re passionate about at Barratt David Wilson Homes.”
Harry Hingston, Reserve and Volunteer Coordinator at the Barn Owl Trust, expressed gratitude for the support: “Having the team from Barratt David Wilson Exeter with us has been a huge help. We wouldn’t be able to achieve such large amounts of work on the reserve without the help of volunteers, so we are always incredibly grateful. We rely on community support to maintain a thriving habitat for owls, and we’re grateful to Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter for joining us in this work.”
The Barn Owl Trust and Barratt David Wilson Homes Exeter hope this partnership will inspire others to get involved in local conservation efforts, including volunteering at the nature reserve, and to help protect and support wildlife across the region.
For more information about the Barn Owl Trust and how to support their work, visit www.barnowltrust.org.uk.
To learn more about Barratt Developments, visit www.barratthomes.co.uk.
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