The wild flowers of one special churchyard in North Devon have received the
blessings of their local vicar.
On the morning of Tuesday 28th April a new wildlife meadow in the churchyard of the
13th century church of St. Petroc's, Petrockstowe, was formally blessed by the
Reverend Susanna Metz before being opened with the presentation of a plaque on which
part of the inscription reads:
"This area is specially managed for the care of God's creations in need of a helping
hand."
Last year Devon Wildlife Trust, through its Nature Improvement Area project, began
work with St Petroc's Parochial Church Council to improve the wildlife of the
churchyard. Now an area has been set aside to allow native wildflowers to bloom and
seed. Once the seeds have set, the area will be cut for hay and then 'recycled', by
being fed to local livestock. The area selected contains no graves.
The PCC have decided that initially a strip of ground will be allocated for the
wildflower meadow for three years, when a decision regarding expansion of this area
will be taken. A small team of local people has been appointed to keep an eye on its
success monitoring the plant and insect life of the meadow.
The Rev Susanna Metz blessed the wildflowers at a service attended by parishioners.
She said:
"On Rogation days in our team, we routinely bless our fields and farms, so it seems
right to ask God's blessing on our efforts to secure a place for the insects, that
are so vital for our food sources, to flourish. The church must be on the forefront
of protecting the gift of creation - the environment - we've been given. We hope
with this area to show how beauty, our own health, and the health of our world are
interconnected."
Chris Smith, Chair of St Petroc's Parochial Church Council, said:
"With 98% of England's flower rich meadows having been lost in the past sixty years,
every area of wild flower meadow, no matter how small, is helpful as a food source
for bumblebees and butterflies, essential pollinators of our food crops."
Lisa Schneidau, Project Manager for the Northern Devon Nature Improvement Area, said:
"We are delighted that St Petrock's Church has decided to manage part of this
churchyard for wildlife, for the whole parish to enjoy. Projects like this, which
are started and driven by the local community, are an essential part of helping to
restore, manage and celebrate Devon's natural landscapes. St Petroc's is to be
congratulated for its valuable work for Devon's wildlife."
The Rev Susanna Metz and parishioners at
the blessing of the wildflowers at St Petroc's church, Petrockstowe Photos copyright DWT (All rights reserved)
.jpg)
