Blue skies and bright sunshine provided a beautiful backdrop for the Wilder Communities Churchyard Wildlife & Management course at St Mary’s church, Coddenham.

Representatives from groups responsible for churchyard management gathered to share their experiences and learn from Suffolk Wildlife Trust’s established advisory work across the county with Cathy Smith, tutor and conservation adviser. 

We learnt how churchyards are often the last bastions for many fragile grassland habitats and their wildflowers, such as meadow saxifrage. They are home to so many creatures, including hedgehogs, slow worms, insects and birds such as spotted flycatchers.

Attendees were inspired to learn that small changes in the way they manage the churchyard can make such a significant contribution and went away excited to implement their new-found knowledge in their own parishes.

The next Churchyard Management event to support communities help nature is Planning for Wildlife on Friday, September 25^th in Laxfield. For more information and to book your places: Wilder Communities | Suffolk Wildlife Trust