24 BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON HISTORIC CHURCHES 31st ANNUAL EDITION between areas, more attention being paid to how these patches of wildlife can be brought together – that is where we start to see a positive shift towards nature’s recovery. Churches may appear, physically, to be isolated pockets of space, but just as a living church is a networked and connected part of the web of a community, so too is the land that surrounds the building itself. The hundreds of thousands of acres of land that surrounds buildings of all faiths across the UK could (and indeed, do) contribute a significant amount to improving habitats for wildlife. The impact goes beyond supporting species in the area, and even beyond the fact that the land then forms part of a network of wildlife-rich land. There is an important and sometimes overlooked effect that carefully managing land for nature, boldly and visibly, sends a message. It says: this is an important thing to do. It says: we recognise we are all connected. And it can say: this is not a hard thing to do – come, join us, find out how you can do this too. THE SURVEY Where does one begin? We start with an assessment of the space to understand what already lives in the churchyard. These can be run as community events, bringing experts, enthusiastic amateurs and keen volunteers together for a day of exploration. These sessions are often called ‘bioblitzes’, and there is a wealth of information online from reputable sites such as the Natural History Museum, but it is advisable to ensure the session is overseen by a qualified ecologist. Local wildlife trusts and other nature organisations can usually help, and in some areas such as Avon Wildlife Trust, there are community ecologists who can provide specialist, in-person advice. Discussions can be wide-ranging and may touch on sensitive topics, especially where there are burial grounds or the church and its grounds are of historic importance. There can be a sense of permanence and unchanging reliability invested in a building; people can find it disorientating to see the familiar become something different. In Norton, Stockton-on-Tees, the historic Friends’ Meeting House began the process of encouraging greater biodiversity into its grounds in 2022. They were also keen to open up the space to the local community and even introduce the growing of food in a wildlife-friendly way. Unfortunately, there was a problem, as Louise Richards, the Nextdoor Nature officer for Teesside Wildlife Trust explains: ‘We don’t actually know where the bodies are buried,’ she says. ‘All the headstones were moved to the edge of the site in the second world war, and no one made a note. The Friends discussed the issue with the local residents and have taken advice from Teesside Wildlife Trust, bringing in a youth group to create raised beds and planters. The aims are multiple: to ensure everyone has access to the space, to ensure the space benefits people, but crucially to ensure that the space continues to serve as a place of worship for everyone.’ Rhiannon Murphy, a local Friend, adds, ‘Bringing it closer to Mother Nature and to God is quite important to us.’ St John the Baptist Church, Ermine East, Lincoln, was consecrated in 1963 and is Grade II*-listed due to its unique Volunteers (top) working on a new wildflower meadow at St John the Baptist’s in Ermine East, Lincoln, and (above) the results today (Both photos: Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust)
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