Taking a leaf from your books

Julie gets first-hand experience of encouraging community members to take action for nature...

If I take my Worcestershire Wildlife Trust hat off, the one underneath says ‘nature lover’ so whether I write as someone who works for the Trust or as someone who helped to get a community wildlife project get off its feet, I would probably write the same blog!

In the village where I live the Parish Council bought some land to develop into a wildlife area and safe space for the community. Using advice from the Trust’s Natural Networks team, they had a Nature Improvement Plan that involved planting hedges and orchards for this coming year. So began a strategy to involve community members in planting the orchard trees - but where to begin?

So began a strategy to involve community members in planting the orchard trees - but where to begin?

Several groups that already influence the village are the gardening group, the WI, the primary school and the Care Farm. So, knowing that these audiences were willing to listen, I did a round of talks and meetings, explaining why the land had been purchased and what the plan was to improve it for both people and wildlife.

In my experience it’s all about relationships; despite the fact that we live in a world of emails and social media we still need to talk to people face to face. A huge part of communication is visual - how you convey your words is influenced by the way you present them. We are always going to be a social species and so these meetings and talks were a really important part of starting the story of the Apostle's Meadow orchard planting day.

Part of a poster advertising a tree planting event on 1st February at Apostle's Meadow

Following on from the talks was an article in our parish magazine and posters advertising the day and date; we also advertised that there would be cake too (essential for any tree planting day). Posters were emailed to groups and put up in the village shop and at the entrance to Apostle's Meadow. “You get everywhere” said my neighbour. “Good” said I.

The article in the magazine was very much based on my blog style of writing and below is some of what I wrote:

Have you heard about Apostle's Meadow…

It’s the new name for the 5.5 hectares of land purchased by the Parish Council as public open space between the common and Abberley village. This amazing opportunity to purchase land right in the centre of the village was a big win for residents as it will provide an improved footpath between the parts of the village – as all of us who have walked or run across this field in the past will know, it is sometimes ever so slightly muddy! One element of the plan for this land is to plant trees and hedges to try and soak up some of the water and to slow down the run-off down the hill to the path at the bottom.

The reason I am writing this is because I am, and have always been, a keen advocate of improving our outdoor spaces for all wildlife including ourselves. I have worked on environmental projects both here and abroad and currently I work for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust who are advising on the ecological aspects to the Parish Council plan. I firmly believe that being outdoors in green spaces is fundamental to our health and happiness. I’m sure there have been times when you just need to go outside for a bit, get some fresh air, clear your head and enjoy the simple things, like a new flower or an early bumblebee or spotting a wren in a hedge.

So how do we create this utopia …people power. It’s amazing how much you can achieve when you do things together, how much better you feel when you look back at a day’s work and see something special - a hedge, an orchard, a wildflower meadow.

So how do we create this utopia …people power.

I think that there aren’t many people who don’t like belonging to some group or society, we need to feel part of something that will improve our lives and to connect to people and places. So, if you have an opinion on this amazing project then please contact the Parish Council - they genuinely want to hear your views and gain your support when it comes to orchard tree planting, which is courtesy of Worcestershire County Council’s Wade Muggleton, who is bringing fruit trees, guards and stakes for free! The community just has to plant them. The King’s Coronation Community Fund is funding the hedgerow plants. And if you feel you can’t dig a hole or plant a tree then come along and provide encouragement for others and maybe even tea and cake? What event in a village happens without tea and cake!

And on the day what happened? Well, my next article for the parish magazine started like this:

What a Team...Abberley Apostle’s Meadow.

There were no goals or tries or nets but an amazing team of 32 people turned up at Apostle's Meadow on the first day of February and planted an orchard, realigned hedging, moved a significant amount of woodchip and ate some rather delicious cakes.

The first event of a new community group, which now has its own WhatsApp group!