A church praised for the way it encouraged wildlife to flourish in its churchyard is hosting an event to encourage others to do the same.
St Mary's Church, Masham, near Ripon, will host a seminar on managing churchyards that are sympathetic to wildlife, on Saturday, May 15. St Mary's was highly commended in the 2002 Living Churchyard awards project.
Backed by Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and the Diocese of Ripon and Leeds, there will be a similar seminar at St Chad's Church, Headingley, Leeds, on Saturday, June 26. Organisers say churchyards or cemeteries are becoming increasingly important havens for wildlife.
"Often, they are one of the few places where native wildlfowers, butterflies, birds and other animals can be found. They provide a natural environment that, in most cases, has not been ploughed or treated with pesticides," said a spokesman for the Yorkshire Living Churchyard Project.
The seminars include a visit to a churchyard, a discussion session and an illustrated talk about what can be achieved in the "natural" churchyard or cemetery. More details are available from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, Toft Green, York YP1 6JT.
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