Something to crow about: There’s life in the churchyard!

Written by Kayleigh Hunt 

Kayleigh is a student at Cornwall College Newquay, currently studying a BSc in Applied Zoology.      
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As our world becomes more urbanised it is often the countryside which suffers, it is therefore so important that our pockets of green space are preserved. Churchyards can often be the only remaining green area within fragmented landscapes and have an important role in conserving natural habitats. Preserving churchyards may not only benefit the fauna and flora, but the public too, with it being widely accepted that nature can have positive effects on human well-being.

I have loved birds ever since I can remember, when I was little, walking round my Grandad's aviaries was time well spent! Birds are excellent environmental indicators and the range of bird species within a churchyard not only reveals information about the avian community but other communities as well. For example, where there’s insectivores, it’s likely the invertebrate community is thriving! Therefore, as part of my BSc Applied Zoology degree I decided to research how the habitat composition of churchyards in North Cornwall is affecting bird communities and what management implications this may have.

My data collection involved two visits a day for two days to each of the ten chosen churchyards. One visit at 5am (thanks to the Spring/Summer weather of 2018, the spectacular sunrises were worth the early starts!) and one at 7pm. Six points were established throughout each churchyard and the maximum number of individuals of each bird species seen at any one time was recorded. As well as this, various habitat variables were recorded, including tree cover and grassland structure.

Results revealed that the most influential habitat variable on bird diversity is grassland structure. The management of grassland varied greatly between the ten churchyards and management level could be divided into three categories. Overly managed (mown), well managed (overgrown and mown areas) and unmanaged (overgrown). The three ‘well managed’ churchyards had the highest levels of bird diversity. At one site, between two visits, the overgrown grass was decimated. Wildflowers destroyed. Any invertebrate life inhabiting the area lost. Very tellingly, just 15 bird species were observed following the cut, compared to 26 and 23 before.

During this project I met with Robert Moor – coordinator of The Cornwall Living Churchyards Project. One of the projects main objectives is to diversify the grassland structure of churchyards to increase the range of wildflowers and invertebrates. Upon this discovery, I realised how important the findings from my project could be, that the science behind it could support the efforts of Robert Moor and local groups trying to help the fauna and flora in their churchyard.

My passion for the subject has led to a group in North Cornwall – The South Petherwin Cake and Raker’s - approaching me to join their committee to transform their churchyard into a ‘Living Churchyard’. This opportunity enables me, along with other members of a small community to take a proactive approach, which along with my research, I hope can make a real difference in the future.

For more information on the range of Zoology and Conservation courses available at Cornwall College Newquay visit www.cornwall.ac.uk or call 0330123 2523.