This article comes in audio format. To listen, just click on the play icon below. 

Villagers from Embsay and Eastby took part in the annual ‘Churches’ Count on Nature’ in the churchyard of St Mary’s church between 6-8 June 2023.

A total of 40 Biodiversity Count sheets were completed, and three classes from the village school took part, with support from volunteer helpers from the church. Local expert Dr Judith Allinson attended on one of the days, to help with identification of the plants and grasses. Some 80 species of plants, with a further 20 species of grasses, were counted.

A moth trap was put out near the churchyard on the evenings of the Count and seven species of moth were counted this year. This was fewer than in previous years, and this reduction in moth numbers has been noticed nationwide.

This is the third year the church has taken part in the Count.

The church has recently gained the Eco Church Gold Award, only the 33^rd church in the country to gain the award.  One of the 5 assessed categories is how the church manages its land for the benefit of wildlife and people.

The Church of England sees churchyards as an important part of the diverse natural habitat of England, particularly for their habitats and as refuges for wildlife and plant life.

St Mary’s Church has a churchyard management plan which aims to protect and enhance the biodiversity of the space, whilst being very mindful that this is still an open churchyard, with safe access needed to gravestones and burial plots, including three Commonwealth War Graves.  Some patches of wildflowers are left uncut at certain times of the year, in order to ensure they can seed, and to provide habitats and nectar for pollinators.

The full list of species recorded on the 2023 Count is listed on the church website: www.stmaryembsay.org.uk/eco-church/churches-count-on-nature.php