£2m grant to save Torbay's rarest bugs

A project to protect and restore rare bugs to the south coast of Devon has got its year off to a flying start after securing a grant of over £2 million.

The grant makes up part of the £15.6 million of funding announced by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, which aims to make it easier for people to access nature across the UK.

Torbay and South Devon's coastline has long been home to some of the UK's rarest insects, with hotspots such as Berry Head and Wembury.

The 'Life on the Edge' project strives to bring communities together to help protect some of the UK’s most vulnerable invertebrate species inhabiting the flower-rich grasslands and cliffs across the coast of South Devon.

The project is an exciting new Buglife partnership that aims to restore viable populations of some of the UK’s rarest invertebrates and plants living along the South Devon coast between Berry Head and Wembury, including the last known colony of the Six-banded Nomad Bee

'Life on the Edge' aims to reconnect wild coastal landscapes and provide the tools for communities to take action in their greenspaces, farmland, churchyards, school grounds, highway verges and private gardens to provide more valuable and much-needed habitat for these rare insects and other wildlife.

Roger English, South Devon National Landscape manager said that the team was "looking forward to working with our partners and the local community to make a real difference for these threatened species along the coast of the South Devon National Landscape and beyond"

Eilish McGuinness, Chief Executive, The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “I am thrilled we are announcing support for such a fantastic group of heritage projects that will not only protect our environment but also allow more people to experience the benefits of nature across the UK.

"Preserving natural heritage is core to what we do, and thanks to National Lottery players, we look forward to seeing people across the UK enjoying the incredible variety that nature has to offer, and ensure that these outstanding natural sites are valued, cared for and sustained for everyone, now and in the future”.