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We want to work with you….
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Churchyards provide a great opportunity to
bring local people together to learn more about their
environment and how to look after it. Learning more about the
plants and creatures your churchyard supports and watching it
thrive can be extremely rewarding.
But it’s not just about exploring the
wildlife! Churchyards provide links to the past, telling stories
of those who lived in the parish and are an important part of
our social and built heritage, with fine examples of monuments,
memorials and preaching crosses. |
© Caring for God's Acre |
We want people’s different natural skills and
interests to come together as part of your living churchyard. There are
many ways to get involved…..
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Wildlife Monitoring – what wildlife does your
churchyard have? – HELP count cowslips, carrying out a bird or
butterfly survey or record veteran trees. Send us your churchyard
wildlife sightings
The first step to conserving our churchyard wildlife is to know
what’s there. Download the
wildlife sightings log to build a picture of the wildlife in
your churchyard throughout the year.
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Churchyard History – do you have a passion for the
past? – HELP research the history of your churchyard, its past
management, its monuments, preaching crosses and gravestones.
Monuments have great value not only for their texts but also in
terms of craftsmanship, reflecting changes in style and technique
and providing information about kinship, occupation, class,
attitudes to religion, and evidence of the social structure of a
community.
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Churchyard Geology – are you interested in
geology? - Churchyard memorials make use of a variety of stones, the
choice varying throughout history and with location. HELP look at
the types of stone used in your churchyard.
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Wildlife Management – do you like to get your
hands dirty? – HELP identify and manage a wildflower meadow area,
build a drystone wall, create a log pile for bugs & beetles, erect
bird boxes or lay a hedgerow. We can help you develop the confidence
and skills to support your Living Churchyard …….
What mammals find a home in your churchyard? –
Take part in this year’s ‘Living with Mammals Survey’
Wildlife conservation charity, the People’s Trust for
Endangered Species (PTES), is asking all wildlife lovers to take part in
what will be the 7th annual survey of mammals in the urban environment;
Living with Mammals.
The survey runs throughout April, May and June 2009 and PTES needs
volunteers to look out for mammals in spare moments each week, at sites
such as gardens, allotments, cemeteries and parks, whether you are
walking the dog, getting a breath of fresh air from work or looking out
of your kitchen window.
All those who contact PTES for a survey pack will receive an exclusive
full-colour Spotting Wild Mammals booklet containing information of how
to identify species and recognise the field signs that they leave
behind.
Anyone interested in taking part should contact David Wembridge at PTES,
either by phoning 020 7498 4533 or emailing LwM@ptes.org
Further information can be found on the website – www.ptes.org/surveys
or download the Press Release here.
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