Our churchyard in OCTOBER

I must start by thanking all those who so generously volunteered to help with the clearing of the meadow this year. There’s a lot of physical work involved in the cutting and raking of the grass, and we were well fed with delicious cake from Emma Hannay that sustained us all. The area now looks well put to bed and ready to grow out again next year. We can take great satisfaction in the number and variety of both plants and insects that have established here in recent years. We now have three butterfly species breeding and many others passing through. The number of grasshoppers present when we were cutting had to be seen to be believed.

Conservationists recognise that nature cannot survive in fragments. Sites that are managed for the benefit of wildlife should not be isolated but are of far greater value if they are near other such areas – a concept known as landscape-scale conservation. In this way, should a species become extinct in one site – for example, perhaps because of climate change - then, providing the habitat is maintained, the species can backfill from other nearby sites. The creation of corridors for wildlife to move, mate and adapt to changing conditions aids genetic diversity and promotes the long-term health and resilience of entire landscapes.

One significant local initiative to promote this is the Weald to Waves corridor, described in Hugh Bullock’s article. From the Ashdown Forest in the High Weald to Knepp in the West, the corridor runs down the river valleys, across the South Downs to the sea. Fletching lies in this zone, where landowners, community groups, gardeners, conservation bodies and individuals are encouraged to take part in the project.

Another is Butterfly Conservation’s drive to transform 100,000 Wild Spaces across the UK to create areas where butterflies and moths can thrive – see https://butterfly-conservation.org/wild-spaces What is a wild space? Baron Rothschild – one of the earliest conservationists – is often quoted as saying that no man should devote less than 2 acres of his woodland to conservation.

Thinking has moved on since then. If you don’t have 2 acres of woodland, then a space of any size – a garden, a pot or even a window box – can provide space for insects to feed, breed and shelter if it is kept free from pesticides and planted with insect-friendly plants. You’ll be surprised how quickly wildlife discovers it.

Baron Rothschild's thinking inspires us each to play our own part in these wider conservation efforts, no matter how large or small. By embracing landscape-scale conservation, we can ensure a healthier, more resilient planet for future generations, where nature's beauty and diversity continue to thrive on a grand scale.

Nigel Symington
nigel.symington@gmail.com