Lichfield Wildlife Group
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Lichfield Wildlife Group Lichfield Cathedral Close Wildlife Project Report and Management Plan This management plan is part of the Awards for All funded project ‘Conserving the Natural Heritage of Lichfield Cathedral and Lichfield Cathedral School’ Lichfield Wildlife Group is a local group of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust March 2009 Report (revised May 2010) CONTENTS Page Preface 2 Reflections on theological aspects of the project 2 Dedication 2 1. Background 3 1.1 Project Aims and Objectives 3 2. Site Description 4 2.1 Site Map 4 2.2 Historical Context 5 2.3 Compartment descriptions 6 2.3.1 The Cathedral Buildings and publicly accessible areas around the Cathedral 6 2.3.2 Predominantly residential properties to the south-west of Cathedral Close including yards and gardens and the Erasmus Darwin Museum Garden 6 2.3.3 The grounds of Lichfield Cathedral School including school playing fields 6 2.3.4 The remaining private land within the Lichfield Cathedral estate including properties with large private gardens 7 2.3.5 Excluded areas and surrounding open spaces 7 3. Survey Methodology 8 4. Survey Results 10 4.1 Notes on the wildlife survey (questionnaire) for Cathedral Close 10 4.1.1 The Wildlife Garden Survey 10 4.1.2 The Bird Survey 12 4.1.3 The Mammal Survey 13 4.2 Notes on the findings of the local specialist surveyors 14 4.2.1 General 14 4.2.2 The Cathedral Buildings and publicly accessible areas around the Cathedral 15 4.2.3 Predominantly residential properties to the south-west of Cathedral Close including yards and gardens and the Erasmus Darwin Museum Garden 15 4.2.4 The grounds of Lichfield Cathedral School including school playing fields 15 4.2.5 The remaining private land within the Lichfield Cathedral estate including properties with large private gardens 16 5. Management recommendations 17 5.1 The Cathedral Buildings and publicly accessible areas around the Cathedral 17 5.2 Predominantly residential properties to the south-west of Cathedral Close including yards and gardens and the Erasmus Darwin Museum Garden 18 5.3 The grounds of Lichfield Cathedral School including school playing fields 18 5.4 The remaining private land within the Lichfield Cathedral estate including properties 19 with large private gardens 5.5 Trees 19 5.6 Lichens 20 5.7 Fungi 20 5.8 Moths 21 5.9 Wildlife Friendly Gardening 21 6. Management Summary 24 7. References, recommended reading and useful contacts 26 7.1 Useful contacts 26 7.2 Recommended reading and useful websites 27 7.3 Wildlife Gardening suppliers 27 8. Acknowledgements 28 9. Appendices A Summary of Lichfield Wildlife Group’s Awards for All funded project 29 B The ‘Who’s Who’ behind the Research 33 C Trees and shrubs native to Staffordshire 36 D Ornamental shrubs of benefit to wildlife 37 E Cultivation of Mistletoe 38 F Top 10 Wildlife Gardening Tips 39 1 Preface The origin of the Lichfield Cathedral Nature Conservation project was twofold. The Cathedral Chapter had approached the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust for assistance with aspects of its Natural heritage at about the same time as the Keele University Ecological lecturer, Peter Thomas, who has tutored Keele continuing education classes on botanical and ecological subjects in the Cathedral Studies Centre or in College Hall in The Close for many years, and David Wall, a member of the Lichfield local group of the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, approached the then Cathedral Chancellor, Canon Tony Barnard, to see whether it would be possible to survey the flora and fauna of the Cathedral Close. The Wildlife Trust had asked Philip Knight, the Chairman of the Trust's Education Committee and one of its Trustees, to liaise with the Cathedral to see what the Trust might do to assist. Philip and David joined forces and met with David Wallington, the Cathedral Administrator to plan a programme of action. During the early planning stages, the Lichfield local group decided to recommend that a bid be put together for an 'Awards for All' grant from the lottery in order to bring more resources into the project and hence achieve a better outcome. This was agreed and a bid put together by the local group Secretary, David Jones, its Treasurer, Ray Allen, and David Wall with the assistance of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Officers Keith Tomkins, Graham Peake, and Craig Slawson. The bid was successful, and the actions that resulted from it are described in an appendix to this report (see Appendix A). Reflections on theological aspects of the project The Cathedral Close Nature Conservation project did not attempt to bring any theological expertise to bear on the issues being studied. One of the local wildlife group's co-ordinators has an interest in such matters but would not in any way regard himself as a 'theologian'. He obtained an MA in Environmental Management for which his MA dissertation was 'The Church and the Environment'. As part of his research for the dissertation, he interviewed Canon Tony Barnard, then the Chancellor of the Cathedral with responsibilities for theological education. In the dissertation, its author comments that since Canon Barnard suggests that much work needs to be done to develop an adequate theological response to the environment by the whole Church, perhaps the Churches need to pay more attention to this. The environment covers more issues than nature conservation, but it includes nature conservation. In a recent book review in the Church Times (1st August, 2008) of 'The Open Secret: A new vision for natural theology by Alister McGrath', John Saxbee, the Bishop of Lincoln, who is the reviewer, gives his support to Alister McGrath's contention that it is a matter of urgency for theists in general, and Christians in particular, to re-engage with nature from a theological point of view. Perhaps this needs to be brought down-to-earth and focussed on real, practical situations, such as nature conservation for Lichfield Cathedral Close, as well as engaging with a much wider agenda. The Cathedral Chapter should consider how it might bring a theological perspective to the development of nature conservation in the Close and its associated lands and man-made structures. David Wall Vice Chair of the Lichfield Wildlife Group Trustee of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust Ray Allen Treasurer of the Lichfield Wildlife Group Dedication This Report is dedicated to the memory of Ray Jennett (1st March 1941 - 11th November 2008) Sadly, Ray died unexpectedly just before the Reports of the Cathedral Nature Conservation project could be completed and published. Ray was a dedicated birdwatcher and provided survey information on the birdlife of the Close for this Report, as well as taking part in other associated events. He had a lifelong commitment to nature conservation, and longstanding links with the Lichfield Wildlife Group. We will miss his generosity of spirit and depth of knowledge. 2 1. Project Background The Cathedral Close Wildlife Project was co-ordinated by the Lichfield Wildlife Group, a group with an interest in the natural environment and wildlife of Lichfield District, and one of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s local groups. The group has a long history of involvement in nature conservation projects locally. Most recently the group delivered a project focussing on gathering information about dragonfly populations in Lichfield District. The project, of which this management plan is a part, focuses on conserving the natural heritage of Lichfield Cathedral Close including Lichfield Cathedral School. The project is supported by funding from the National Lottery’s Awards for All Fund. In addition to the preparation of this report and the collection of information supporting it (see below), the project encompassed an interpretative/educational element. A series of workshops were undertaken with a class of Year 4 pupils from the Cathedral School. The children collected information for, and helped to design a leaflet aimed at young people visiting the Cathedral. The sessions with the school were supported by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust’s Community and Education team. The completed leaflet, with lots of different wildlife-focussed children’s activities, is available from visitor outlets around the Cathedral site. The project also produced a leaflet for adult visitors to the Cathedral, which gives an insight into the ecological interest of the Cathedral and its surrounds. 1.1 Project Aims and Objectives The project is centred on Lichfield Cathedral, which is visited by thousands of people each year, mainly to admire the building and its architecture and/or for religious reasons. There are many parts of the buildings and grounds that are not normally visited by the general public. These areas are important historically and are relatively undisturbed. This makes them potentially ideal habitat for a wide variety of flora and fauna. At the same time, the Cathedral is about to start on a major development/restoration project, which is only the latest in a series of changes implemented in the area in recent years. Indeed, since the survey work was undertaken for this project there have been new developments and changes to the management of parts of the site. These developments will have an impact on wildlife and so the project should assist the Dean and Chapter, and others involved in the Close, by providing them with information about what there is now so as to enable them to avoid damage to the biodiversity of the area. The project has involved experts in various fields who have undertaken surveys of the area looking at groups such as plants, lichens, mammals, birds and invertebrates. In addition, historical data has been obtained from some current and former residents, and the Staffordshire Environmental Records service based at the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust offices.