In pre-COVID days, the Diocese, in collaboration with the local Wildlife Trust, set-up a scheme to encourage parishes to turn their churchyards into wildlife havens. After an initial survey in 2020, the vicar, David Newton, set up a small Steering Group to explore how the church in Comberton might respond.
Three separate mowing regimes set up in 2021 soon allowed plants suppressed by years of close mowing to recover by the spring of 2022 changes were clearly visible.
A small patch of Bugle (Ajuga reptans), a plant becoming scarce in the County, was already thriving. Nest boxes, log piles, bare earth areas and a ‘bug basecamp’ were installed. A survey of small mammals in the spring showed a healthy population of bank voles and wood mice, which will be good for owls and other raptors.
The Steering Group were thrilled that their first steps were rewarded with a Silver Award following a visit by the scheme judges in May. Plans are now in hand to build on this success, create an even more diverse range of habitats, and involve the community in monitoring the changes.
With thanks for supplying this item to the Revd Chris Westgarth Curate, Member of the Steering Group
Find out more
- You can find out more about responding to the climate and biodiversity crisis with some of ways that churches can get involved and the plethora of resources out there on the Diocesan website here.
St Mary’s Church in the background
Bugle in the churchyard
