sussex churchyards project 2016

SUSSEX CHURCHYARD PROJECT 2016

FIRSTLY – THANK-YOU!TO ALL THE MEMBERS WHO TOOK PART

• East Sussex • 22 members• 75 churchyards/cemeteries• 8047 records• West Sussex• 17 members• 77 churchyards/cemeteries• 7,9990 records• (Completed records from• visits throughout the year) All photos. Helen Proctor unless

stated otherwise.

Catsfield

Distribution of recorded churches

East SussexMap from Google Earth. Ed. Brad. Scott

Distribution of recorded churches

West SussexMap from Google Earth. Ed. Brad Scott

Habitats in Churchyards

Grassland - as lawns OR as meadows

Herstmonceux ChurchyardBoxgrove Priory Churchyard

More Habitats

ALSO Paths – Brick, gravel Woodland Hedgerows

Walls – Escaping the strimmer-Litlington!

Asplenium ruta-murariaHerstmonceux

Churchyards as Nature Reserves

Hadlow Down Churchyard

Danehill Churchyard

Photo Stephanie Miles

Grassland ManagementConservation areas Grass cut in AutumnCuttings removed

Mountfield

Westmeston

Never cut or cuttings left in situChiddingly

Introduced PlantsDavidia involucrata at Tidebrook

Saxifraga granulata flore pleno

Photo. Peter Smith

Photo. Judy Clark

Selaginella kraussiana Photo. James McCulloch

Lichens in ChurchyardsCaloplaca flavescens

Ochrolechia parella Lecanora chlarotera

Llimonaea sorediataPhotos. Ishpi Blatchley

Changes since the 1980s Surveys

1980s records generally lower than in2016

Possible reasons:-• Less expertise• No ‘Poland’ for

Vegetative ID of grasses!

A few totals of records are identical or nearly so. Same or different species?

1980s 2016

Hadlow Down 132 134Pevensey 73 73Spithurst 127 129Aldingbourne 112 112Ashurst 109 109Ebernoe 110 110Lodsworth 123 123

LOOKING FORWARD TO 2017

• Thank-you again!

• The project continues next year.

• A list of churchyards for recording will be published later.

• Notes on management greatly appreciated.

Netherfield