A conservation charity has found that churchyards in the UK are safe places for rare wildlife

A conservation charity has found that churchyards in the UK are safe places for rare wildlife

Caring for God’s Acre has mapped 20,000 cemeteries and recorded 10,000 types of wildlife.

Churchyards are important places for rare animals like dormice, bats, and beetles, according to a survey of burial grounds in the UK.

The charity, Caring for God’s Acre, mapped 20,325 cemeteries and collected 800,000 wildlife records, finding over 10,800 different species.

They found that these peaceful places are home to many rare animals, with more than a quarter of the species listed as endangered. Over 80 of these species are at risk of becoming extinct.

The charity is stressing the importance of protecting churchyards so they can continue to support wildlife.

There are over 20,500 burial sites in the UK, from small areas of less than a quarter of an acre to large sites covering hundreds of acres.

The charity’s wildlife survey was created using information from churchgoers and conservation groups like the British Trust for Ornithology, the British Lichen Society, Butterfly Conservation, and the Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland.

The charity has asked the public to visit their local churchyards and note the plants and animals they see. So far, 30,000 people have helped by adding to the records.

Harriet Carty, the director of Caring for God’s Acre, said: “The records show that more than a quarter of the species listed are on the Red List, with over 80 species marked as threatened, vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered. This includes species like the dormouse, white-letter hairstreak butterfly, shepherd’s-needle plant, and eagle’s claw lichen.”

Lisa Chilton, CEO of the National Biodiversity Network Trust, said: “Recording wildlife is very important for conservation – you can’t protect a species if you don’t know where it lives. We’re happy to host the Beautiful Burial Ground Portal as part of the National Biodiversity Network Atlas, making wildlife data from the UK’s churchyards, cemeteries, and burial grounds freely available to everyone.”

Churchyards with lots of wildlife

1. St Mary’s Churchyard, Caynham, Shropshire
   In summer, this small, rural churchyard is full of wildflowers that attract insects and birds. It is cared for by volunteers from Caring for God’s Acre.
2. Arnos Vale Cemetery, Bristol
   Arnos Vale Cemetery in Bristol has a lot of history and is home to many types of wildlife, with over 11,000 recorded sightings of 1,024 species.
3. Morningside Cemetery, Edinburgh
   This city cemetery in Edinburgh has many types of wildlife. The Cemetery Wildlife Watch group has found a variety of insects, including the red-legged shieldbug and the graveyard beetle.
4. St Michael’s Churchyard, Cefnllys, Powys
   This quiet churchyard in Powys is great for people who enjoy watching bats. Three bat species (Daubenton’s bat, soprano pipistrelle, and common pipistrelle) live here, so it’s a good place for evening wildlife watching.
5. St Helen’s Churchyard, Kelloe, County Durham
   St Helen’s has been a popular place for butterflies, with species like the dingy skipper, wall, and small heath. The sunny spots and natural meadows are perfect for these delicate insects.

Published: 26th December 2024

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