Churches and graveyards become biodiversity havens

By Gráinne Ní Aodha, Press Association

Church grounds and graveyards are becoming havens for birds, bees and bats in a groundbreaking biodiversity project.

The initiative, which began in Clare in 2023, has now spread to more than 22 Catholic and two Church of Ireland churches in the county – in counties Louth, Wexford, Limerick, Cork, Leitrim and Knock Shrine in Mayo.

The original pilot project, led by Clare County Council’s biodiversity officer Barry O’Loughlin, came about after the Irish Bishops’ Conference agreed that parishes would return 30 per cent of church grounds to nature by 2030.

Driven by the council, which organised rewilding presentations and trained church groundkeepers, it has changed the appearance of church grounds usually managed as manicured land.

I remember seeing a video of how a tightly cut lawn was the equivalent of a desert for creatures

Six other biodiversity officers have now followed Clare’s lead, extending the initiative to a further 20 churches.

“Church grounds are the focal point of every town and village in the country and a great way to provide a refuge for wildlife and give biodiversity visibility in the community,” said O’Loughlin.

Wildflowers and pollinator-friendly trees have been planted and rare orchids have emerged.

Swift and owl nest boxes have been installed on church buildings, bat roosts were erected on trees and bird tables and feeders were also installed.

The project can also take credit for the arrival in Clare of a barn owl chick, born in one of the nesting boxes installed on a farm by the council.

The initiative is being showcased as part of #YourCouncilDay on Friday June 26, the national campaign to generate awareness of services and work carried out by county and city councils.

The Bishop of Killaloe, Fintan Monahan, gave his blessing to the project by establishing a wildflower meadow on the grounds of his residence, Westbourne in Ennis.

“I remember seeing a video of how a tightly cut lawn was the equivalent of a desert for creatures and that changed my mindset about what we regard as neat and tidy,” he said.

“There are bees and an increase in bird life; I’ve seen swallows and squirrels around the trees.”

Bishop Monahan said he was surprised by the success of the initiative, which was sparked by an encyclical from Pope Francis in 2015.

In Laudato Si’, the first in the history of the Catholic Church to be devoted to the environment, the Pontiff called on individuals, communities and nations to work together to preserve the rich diversity of life on earth.

Biodiversity officer with Mayo County Council Sheila Murphy said that with visitor numbers close to one million annually, Knock Shrine was also an ideal site to showcase actions for biodiversity.