Increasing Biodiversity in the Churchyard
There has been a growing realisation in recent years that many churchyards are havens of significant importance for wildlife.
This churchyard is well kept and tidy, but it does not exploit all opportunities to favour wildlife. The objective is not to ‘rewild’ but to manage the churchyard in such a way that encourages more biodiversity, while at the same time making at a peaceful area for contemplation.
The PCC has endorsed an overall plan for increasing biodiversity and this can be found under the heading PCC-Endorsed Plan below.
What has been done:
- Prepared a long term plan which has been endorsed by the PCC
- Left grass areas unmown
- Installed swift nesting boxes and a call system and swifts are already visiting the Church
- Planted liatris bulbs
- Planted wild garlic bulbs to discourage deer.
- Creating a 50m2 flower bed and planting with mixed wildflowers
- Planted a new row of lavender to encourage bees
- Create some log piles to encourage bugs
- Created a bug hotel
- Planting yellow rattle to limit grasses
- Installed a feeding station for ground feeding birds
- Installed a bird feeding table and a hanging feeder
- Established a programme of worship related to the environment
- Commenced community engagement
What is Planned
- Reduce grassed areas in favour of wildflowers
- Increase the areas of unmown grass
- Move toward traditional meadow areas
- Plant Cornflower and Poppies
- Establish compost heaps
- Limit memorial trees to only those that encourage biodiversity
- Erect small signs at each location in the Churchyard
- Undertake a base line species audit
- Plant native UK trees recommended by the Woodland Trust
How you can Help
While ultimately a more biodiverse Churchyard should not be significantly more labour-intensive, clearing cuttings when the meadow grass is cut in the autumn will need some volunteers. Creation of meadow areas with the need to reduce grasses is however labour intensive and the input of professional gardeners is required.
If you can make a donation to the upkeep of the Churchyard, however small, please visit the Donation page and use the reference CY for bank transfers. Thank you for your help.
Finally…
A big thankyou to all our gardeners, some of whom have looked after the Churchyard for over thirty years.
Michael Carver
biodiversity@littlegaddesdenchurch.org.uk