CHURCHYARD RECORDING

ACROSS SUSSEX IN 2016AND FORWARD TO 2017

THANK-YOU AGAIN TO RECORDERS

• 75 churchyards/cemeteries recorded in East Sussex

• 81 churchyards/cemeteries in West Sussex

• A few churchyards need a further visit

• See list on table.Photo. H. Proctor

ANALYSES OF THE RECORDSAND RECORDING IN 2017

GrassesWall floraAncient Woodland IndicatorsUnimproved Grassland indicatorsSurvey form dataIs there a correlation with the indicator species?Best managementChanges in the flora since the 1980s Notes on Recording

GRASSES17 species - Battle Cemetery,

Newick Churchyard22 species – Milland< 5 species - may indicate tussocky,

coarse grasses only or shaved turf! “Poland” needed next time!

Beddingham Church, 8 species, large area never cut, also areas strimmed or mown regularly.

Photo. H. Proctor

Photo. Judy Clark

WALL FLORA

Asplenium ceterach at Fittleworth, Binstead and Plaistow. Five Asplenium species at Fittleworth !

Selaginella kraussiana, Ardingly and Salehurst

Photo.Roger Golding

Photo.James McCulloch

Many other species grow on walls, eg. at Litlington.

Photo.H.Proctor

Indicator species of Ancient Semi-natural Woodland

• List used includes :-• Anemone nemorosa• Conopodium majus• Epipactis helleborine• Luzula forsteri• Melica uniflora• Orchis mascula• Ranunculus auricomus• Sanicula europaea• et al – see list on table

Photo. H.Proctor

SCORINGSpecies given a score of 1 but Orchids = 3Hadlow Down scored 7Milland scored 12

Indicator species of Unimproved Grassland

• Scoring:-• 1= unimproved grassland• 2 = long period of

uninterrupted grassland management

• 3 = Orchid species• See list on table

Photo. H. Proctor

HIGHEST SCORING CHURCHYARDS/CEMETERIESEbernoe = 30 Coolhurst = 28 Staplefield = 28Spithurst = 24 Hadlow Down = 20

Survey Form dataShaved ! OR Abandoned !

Plants not allowed to flower and set seed

Photo. H. Proctor Photo. H. Proctor

Cuttings left in situ enrich the soil,Coarse, tussocky grassesSeeds cannot germinateBecomes species-poor.

A few statistics from 155 survey forms

Most of churchyard regularly mown short = 53 (34%)Part of churchyard/cemetery not cut regularly = 102 (66%)

Cuttings removed = 78 (50%) Cuttings not removed = 53 (34%) Not known = 24 (16%)

Photo. H. Proctor

Photo.H.Proctor

Is there a correlation between good management and the data?

YES, sometimes!BUT DOUBT re grass cuttings ‘apparently’ removed. If mulched back into the turf they soon disappear.

Facility for disposal of grass cuttings needed + manual work!

Photo H. Proctor

Photo.H.Proctor

Caring for God’s AcreAdvocates wildlife friendly management of churchyards and burial sites.

• Involve local people• Site plan• Record plants• Inform parishioners• Management plan• Annual activity

programme

http://www.caringforgodsacre.org.uk

Photo.H.Proctor

Changes in the flora since 1980s1980s Manual records 2016 Electronic records

Comparison raises queries! Eg. is it really possible to lose Ground Elder?Losses = 54 Gains = 46 Continuous = 88

All photos. Patricia Donovan

HADLOW DOWN

Notes on recordingPlease enter Location + churchyard or

cemeteryCorrect status - N, P, C, E.Notes on habitats and frequencies

in the Comments columnA central grid reference in the

Comments column below the last record.

Please avoid duplicates!

If uncertain of ID, do ask for help!

David Carstairs, 2004

Caring for the Co-ordinatorPlease add to thebeginning of the filename, before sending:-Location + Church or cemeteryAdd the full date at the

end.

EG. Upper Dicker_Holy Trinity Church_TQ50P_HMP_27_02_2017

David Carstairs, 2004

Please send after each visit

THANK-YOU AND ENJOY!

Whatever the weather!

David Carstairs, 2004

Cartoons from Marren and Carstairs, 2004. Twitching in the Swamp. Thatcham, Swamp Publishing.

Photo. H. Proctor