Stroud deanery is supporting biodiversity recovery by integrating churchyards into Gloucestershire County Council’s nature recovery plan.
Suggested and led by Rebecca Charley, Stroud District Council’s nature recovery and biodiversity lead, this informal partnership focuses on balancing the traditional, manicured churchyard space with a thriving ecosystem that supports local wildlife.
In late July, a gathering at Holy Trinity, Minchinhampton brought together church members, parish and district councillors, and community representatives to discuss how churchyards can contribute to this biodiversity effort. Attended by over 30 people, including representatives from 12 Stroud parishes, the meeting focused on managing churchyards for wildlife, and looked at the work done in Minchinhampton churchyard.
Jennie South, Eco Ambassador for Stroud Deanery, said: “Rebecca Charley provided a very helpful environmental perspective. One of the points she raised was the impact that changes in tree and grassland management could have on restoring biodiversity.
“Minchinhampton churchyard serves as an example of this. In 2019, a wild flower survey was completed once a month at the churchyard to record progress. That year, there was no record of orchids in the churchyard, but since the mowing routine was changed, orchids have been recorded as present in the past two years.
“Grassland is a seed bank. You don’t know what’s under the surface until you let it grow.”
The gathering also addressed the need to shift perceptions about churchyards.
Jennie said: “Many people associate a loved churchyard as being tidy and closely mown, but the nature recovery effort encourages that ‘untidy’ areas can be vital for wildlife. An untidy space is much loved because it is often nature-friendly.”
To facilitate ongoing communication, an email group has been set up for church representatives to discuss their experiences and challenges with managing churchyards. Jennie explained: “It is there to encourage partnerships between nearby congregations, to share knowledge and support one another.
“Every church is welcome to join this group, in the broader effort to support the nature recovery efforts of the Council. As Rebecca said at the gathering, ‘nature knows no borders’. We all share the same common purpose of caring for God’s creation.
“Churches could start to conduct their own baseline surveys to assess the current state of biodiversity in their churchyard, and then carry out follow-up surveys to track improvements over time. Engaging the help of local amateur ecologists or organisations who are often willing to help conduct surveys of various wildlife, can benefit both the churchyards, and the ecologists who are often glad to have the opportunity to explore a new site.
“They could also support initiatives like Caring for God’s Acre and EcoChurch (find out more about Eco Church in an Hour), which offer valuable resources and guidance.”
Churches are also encouraged to engage with local parish and district councillors, to ensure that churchyards are included in their biodiversity plans.
Those who were there have ideas and plans to communicate their work with churchyard visitors through informational signs, explaining the nature recovery work taking place.
The group also plan to host a follow up event around springtime next year, which will be open to all, as well as work to engage schools, families and the wider community with different events.