THE Blackdown Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Partnership is developing a £288,000 nature project.

Blackdown Hills Natural Futures is being developed with the aim of helping local people share their knowledge about the countryside, discover more about the wildlife on their doorsteps and develop their own ideas for looking after nature.

The project is currently in the development stage of an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund, having successfully got through the first round and received £3,600 to develop the plans.

Now the Natural Futures team needs to show how it will work on the ground with community nature projects.

Funding and development officer Pippa Rayner said: “We want to hear from anyone who has an idea for a project which would benefit the people and wildlife in their parish, or would simply like to register their interest in getting involved.

“It could be anything from establishing a community orchard to making homes for wildlife or creating a nature trail around a village.

“If we can show that local people are behind Blackdown Hills Natural Futures and are ready to go with their ideas, we’ll stand a much better chance of securing the money we need.”