'Our nature project has been amazing for wildlife'

A nature recovery project has had an amazing impact on wildlife, a group of volunteers have said.

Residents who live in the vicinity of Church Pulverbatch Parish Council in Shropshire have spent the past year sowing wildflower meadows and encouraging no mow areas.

Parish councillor David Taylor said their efforts to recreate meadows mark "the very beginnings of a nice cycle which we all need to try and encourage in our own parishes."

They were inspired by attending a talk about Shropshire's Local Nature Recovery Strategy where they heard about a dramatic reduction in moths, butterflies, and hedgehogs as well as the loss of many of England's meadows.

"It was quite devastating," Taylor said.

"We selected some sites that we wanted to try and create meadows on, and we wanted to create some verges," he said.

Thousands of wild grasses and flowers were planted along the edges of the village green, contrasting with the carefully mown grass in the middle.

It enables the community to use the field for events like fetes and weddings, while still encouraging wildlife diversity, Taylor said.

"It really is a case of dipping your toe in the water, starting slowly and seeing what happens," he said.

The wildflower meadow along the edges of the village green has been a particular highlight.

Volunteers Nikki Brooks and Lynne Taylor were involved in the planting of the site, which includes species like yellow rattle, hawkbit, clover, and ox-eye daisies.

"In the past it was just a field that was mown, whereas now we've got this beautiful landscape with all the seeded grasses," Brooks said.

"When you walk past the verges and see them all being left as they should be, it's brilliant," Taylor said.

"It really makes you appreciate what's there," she said, adding that "you see something different every time you walk - it's great for your mental health."

The village churchyard has become a haven for local wildlife - in particular slow worms, a non-venomous species of legless lizard often mistaken for snakes.

The reptiles "love it in here," said Kate Thorne, who puts mats out for various species to shelter under.

Churchyards are popular spots for slow worms, she added, as they like to shelter in stone walls during the winter and hide amongst long grasses.

"We've hung on to the slow worms and they obviously like it here."

In Castle Pulverbatch lie the remains of a motte and bailey castle, believed to be more than 1,000 years old.

Phil Holden, who works for Shropshire Hills National Landscape, and volunteers with the group, said cutting back bracken and allowing wildflowers to bloom also helps the ancient site.

"Cutting stabilises the grass and turf, making a really robust surface for the monument," he said.

"It also makes it visible so people can see it, and it's a lovely open access site that kids love to run around," Holden added.

"It's a win-win, really."

Having the Local Nature Recovery Strategy to guide the volunteers has been really helpful, Holden added.

"This is something that any parish can do, and there's this county-level framework to support us," he said.

The volunteering has been popular with residents, too.

"I suppose it gives maybe people the idea that there's ways they could do things like that in their own community."