Bridford, Devon

As we start to see welcome signs of Spring, we have some exciting wildlife projects getting underway.

Grass verges

As we reported in our last post the Parish Council have agreed on a new, wildlife-friendly management plan for the grass verges in the village.  Look out for our signs which will be appearing once the first cut of grass is made later in March.  These signs will explain why areas are being left to grow long for the benefit of wildlife.  Please bear in mind that this year will be a transitional one; it will take time for the wildflowers to be able to compete with the grasses.  Later in the year we will be seeking volunteers to help us manage this process.

God’s Acre

We are delighted to be working with the Churchwardens and others to assist in creating wildlife-friendly areas in the churchyard.  Our ancient churchyard is likely to be the most diverse habitat in the parish so there are good foundations to build on to encourage wildlife and create a tranquil place for parishioners and visitors.  Again, volunteers will be needed later in the year to assist with this.

Wildlife Gardening

If you have a garden of any kind, you too can create a haven for wildlife.  Here are some ideas:

• Encourage garden birds and provide shelter
• Let a patch of lawn grow long
• Make a wildlife pond
• Plant a flowering tree or berry-bearing shrub
• Sow nectar-rich annuals in a pot or border
• Create a bug hotel
• Stop using pesticides and herbicides

Lots of ideas and advice can be found here: https://www.rhs.org.uk/wildlife.  We hope to have a parish competition for the best wildlife-friendly gardens – watch out for more on this.

If you are involved in a community project in Bridford and would like advice or help in creating a wildlife-friendly area, please get in touch with us by email: [email protected]