Calling all churchyards!

[kayleighhunt]

Hi everyone,

I am currently a member of the steering group for the West Devon MM subgroup. I am also an MSc Wildlife Biology & Conservation student.

My main passion is churchyards, specifically how the habitat composition and management of churchyards can benefit the biodiversity within them .
For my undergraduate project, I looked at how these factors affect bird communities within churchyards. I plan to expand on this for my MSc thesis and eventually do a PhD on the subject! I am also on a committee called the South Petherwin Cake & Rakers, and we are managing our local churchyard near Launceston in a nature friendly way, with a spring meadow and a summer meadow.
This is such an important research area as there is a huge gap in the scientific literature on churchyards, with hardly any studies having been carried out on them and their potential benefit for biodiversity.

Anyway..I am hoping to gather some info on churchyards within Devon and Cornwall. If you know of a churchyard that is being managed for wildlife/nature, I'd be extremely grateful if you could note it down in reply to this thread for me

If you want to know any more about anything I've mentioned, please just ask!

Kayleigh.

[Philip Brown]

Hi Kayleigh ,Very pleased to see your interest in the biodiversity in churchyards built up over hundreds of years , very often one of the few areas in a parish , otherwise devoid of diversity.

Do have a look at Caring for God's Acre , a great charity devoted to highlighting these unique habitats . You can look on the website by county,
So far only 5 churchyards signed up in Devon to jprotecting and improving these sites for flora and fauna.

My own interest covers at least 6 churchyards where family members are buried or where they lived and worked in the parish going back to 1718

I am the custodian of an ancient meadow in the family for over 80 years which has escaped the plough and all the chemicals and enrichment , so typical of much of the wider landscape. I am hoping to collect seeds , and propagate wild grasses , trees and wild flowers to enhance sites not so fortunate to be species rich.

I wish you well in your studies and I'm happy to assist if I can.

Best Wishes , Philip Brown.

[Jempyne]

Hello Kayleigh
I'm from Exminster where I've been developing a parish Nature Recovery project, trying to draw in various partners and supporters from across the village to support nature and wildlife friendly practices.
We have had some initial discussions with our local church and its PCC to explore a wildlife plan for the churchyard . So we're at the early stages here, but looking to tap into good practice and to get a sense of the impact we can make on what is already a special area and one with lots more potential I suspect.
You may have already tapped into some of the other initiatives out there including the Cof E initiative rolled out called 'living graveyards' and the accreditation scheme called 'Eco Church'..

Happy to exchange ideas , notes etc

[Stephen Powles]

Hello Kayleigh,
Great news. How exciting. Here in Mid Devon I have just caught the churchyard "bug". My inspiration to take up the cause was Cruwys Morchard Churchyard ( https://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk/ch ... -morchard/ ). I am hoping to organise/inspire an open event there in the early summer next year, getting in a speaker from https://ecochurchsouthwest.org.uk/actio ... urchyards/ . Kelvin Boot (from ecochurchsouthwest.org.uk and ex Radio 4 ) is speaking to Mid Devon Wildlife in Tiverton on 27th October, see https://mdw.org.uk/events .
If you would like a study site site in Mid Devon, please get in touch ( stephen@stephenpowles.co.uk ).
Good luck with your work.
Stephen

[nickygradyscott]

we've done two bioblitzes on our churchyard in Chagford wit the help of UCL happy to share etc

[Stefan]

We are doing our best in Sidmouth.

My colleague Prof Stefan Buczacki wrote a great piece for our website,
https://sidvalleybiodiversity.org.uk/ch ... servation/

[Rathbone]

Hi Kayleigh,

Your research sounds great. I am part of the Modbury Wildlife Action Group - ModWAG and we have been surveying two patches of old churchyard, which we asked that the PCC not cut. We are very aware that the PCC needs to come along the wildlife journey with us, which could take several years - Inspiration, patience and education are key! We wrote up our findings in a mini report last autumn; and had an exhibition in the Church. The scouts have been for a mini ecology lesson too. Do get in touch if you would like to meet.
Best wishes,
Charlotte Rathbone ( landscape@rathbonepartnership.co.uk )

[Steve Pocock]

Hi Kayleigh

St Mary's Church, Throwleigh, near Okehampton has been managed "with wildflowers in mind" for nearly 30 years.
We started as a result of "Caring For Gods Acre" and it's now a County Wildlife Site.

Although its getting late there are plenty of Devils Bit Scabious in flower to see now.

Good luck with your project.

Steve