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ploughed, sprayed and fertilised. Badly, too,
churchyards are also under pressure, either to
be made into gardens with reseeded lawns and
weeded flower beds, or left untouched so that
rank grasses and woody weed species invade and
crowd out the varied and rare pasture species.
Walls also are repointed and repaired so that
their colony of ferns, mosses and lichens is
exterminated. Churchyards may contain other
valuable habitats which are also under
pressure.
We have launched the campaign at just the
moment to catch the growing awareness of the
value of churchyards. We are working with a
number of people recording and managing
churchyards. Our main task is to convince the
people who manage the churchyards to consider
conservation needs when maintaining them. We
have produced a very helpful leaflet written by
Ken Adams. About 8000 have been distributed to
churches and local authorities. We are also
offering surveys and management advice to
individual churches.
One problem a church faces when changing its
churchyard is will it receive complaints of
untidiness. This is where Field Club members
can really help. Make sure your voice in
favour of conservation is heard. Contact your
local church or local authority and ask them
what they are doing. Speak to your friends
and neighbours and convince them of the vital
need of conservation. We shall be keen to
back you up with further help if it is needed.
There are hundreds of churchyards in Essex.
For many of them our campaign may be too late.