Summary of management principles for an environmentally friendly churchyard

• Begin by making a ground plan of your churchyard.
• Make a list of the main trees and as many flowering plants and ferns as you can. You can add to this list throughout the year.
• You may also wish to list and note locations of birds, butterflies and any other animals seen. Local schools or youth groups can help. Try to involve the whole community.
• Your lists will help you make an action plan.
• What do you want to keep and what would you like to attract?
• The value of a churchyard lies partly in the fact that it has a number of different elements that combine in a small area to form a variety of wildlife habitats:

Grass

• Short grass is beneficial to birds like the blackbird. It is also necessary where there are new graves. The sward is better for flowers and animals when it has been mown with the blades set a little higher than normal.
• Try to keep an area where the grass is not mown until July so that spring flowers have set seed and bulbs died down. The fringes of the churchyard are often the most suitable.
• Long grass will attract butterflies and seed-eating birds in the summer. Not all churchyards will have room for a summer meadow but perhaps small areas could be left uncut until October.
• The more diversity the better.
• Always rake off cuttings - wild flowers will not flourish if the soil is too rich.

Hedges

• Hedges support a great number of flowering plants and provide protected feeding corridors for animals.
• Trim only between November and February; birds begin nesting early in Cornwall.
• Try to cut only part of it in any one year. Keep it thick at the base and preserve a few feet of uncut grass next to the hedge to be mown once each October.
• Laying (also called plashing) is an eco-friendly alternative.
• Cornish hedges need to be kept in a good state of repair.

Trees

• Trees offer food and shelter to many insects and birds. They should be kept in good heart. Maintenance by forestry experts ensures safety and extends the life of the tree.
• When replanting, native trees are recommended. Always consult the secretary of the Diocesan Advisory Committee to see if a faculty application is needed.

Stones

• The church walls and the gravestones are important for mosses and lichens.
• Lichens take scores of years to grow and should be disturbed as little as possible.
• They can be shaded out by too much tree cover or tall weeds.
• Ideally stones should remain in situ. If they must be moved, try to keep their alignment to the sun the same to protect the lichens. Never spray herbicides near them.

Paths

• A path system should be developed to allow easy access to the church and the graves.
• Where possible, paths should be wide enough to allow access for wheelchairs. Long grass should not overhang them.
• Gravel paths should be hand-weeded where possible, although the use of a mild herbicide may be acceptable in extreme cases. Consult the Cornwall Wildlife Trust.

Planting

• If your churchyard has been mown closely for years and harmful chemicals used, you may wish to introduce some wild flowers. Always choose indigenous species.
• Drifts of snowdrops, wild daffodils or bluebells can be planted to great effect. The latter is now a protected species and will flourish within the walls of the churchyard.
• Do not dig from the wild or you will incur a heavy fine.
• Bulbs and plugs of wild flowers grown from locally collected seed can be obtained from the Cornwall Wildlife Trust or other specialist firms.

Bats

• These endangered creatures inhabit many of our churches. Churchyards are their feeding grounds and changes can affect them. More importantly, building work within the church can directly harm their roosts. It is illegal to disturb a bat roost. If in doubt, please contact Natural England on (01872) 262550.

Advice

• An excellent handbook, written by a clergyman and recommended by the Council for the Care of Churches, is "Wildlife in Church and Churchyard" by Nigel Cooper. Available from SPCK or Church House Publishing, Church House, Great Smith Street, London, SW1P 3NZ.
• If changes are to be made in the churchyard, it is important to consult the secretary of the Diocesan Advisory Committee in case a faculty application is required. Tel: (01872) 274351.
• If ground is to be disturbed the Cornwall Archaeological Unit should be informed. Tel: (01872) 323603 .
• Expert advice on all conservation management is available from the Cornwall’s Living Churchyards Project Co-ordinator.

Projects .... Bat Conservation Bodyline CRAG Dolphin Group Geology Mammal Group Otter Group PARC Seaquest Seasearch Seal Group Water for Wildlife VIC SEARCH . . . . . . . . .