Wilder Wenhaston

Wilder Wenhaston is a network of village residents and organisations who have joined forces to help local nature recovery and improve our neighbourhood’s natural environment.

During the Covid pandemic several villagers carried out surveys of the local flora and fauna. As well as recording over 100 bird species they recorded a wide range of other wildlife seen within the parish boundary. It highlighted how many species were missing: no records of frog or toad spawn and hedgehogs were confined to just a few locations. Climate change, urbanisation, pollution, intensive agriculture has caused a 41% decline in all UK species since the 1970s with a real risk of some species becoming extinct in the very near future.  Restoring nature in the near future is challenging and conservation charities cannot make change on their own it is down to every one of us to play our part.

Wilder Wenhaston wants to help everyone do their bit for local nature. It’s proven that a healthy countryside creates a healthy population reducing stress and mental illness so it’s in everyone’s interest to take part.

Since it was started, Wilder Wenhaston has completed a heritage tree survey that has recorded all significant trees in the parish whether by age, species, or their place in the local landscape. All the records are held in the Suffolk Biological Information Service (SBIS) which means they should be flagged up if they are threatened by development etc. The survey was carried out by villagers following a one-day training session. Wilder Wenhaston has also been involved in the planting of over 20,000 trees over an area of 10 hectares to greatly increase the local hedgerows and woodland coverage.

A current major project is an assessment of the two rivers in the Parish – the River Blyth and the Thorington Beck . This includes long term sampling of the water quality (phosphate, ammonia, E. coli etc) and has already resulted in pushing Anglia Water to activate their phosphate scrubber at Halesworth Sewage Works at some point in 2024. Wilder Wenhaston are also coordinating a fauna and flora survey of the rivers to assess the impact of the Halesworth and Thorington sewage works and household septic tanks.

Following a fantastic Open Garden event, we continue to encourage gardening for wildlife, which includes helping hedgehogs and amphibians through recording, giving advice, and demonstrating what works. We have also planted over 500 bulbs and other wildflowers around the village to enhance the look of Well Green, around the telephone box and the village green.

We are also working with the Parish Council to reduce the light pollution in the village and also reduce the impact of the street lighting on wildlife.

In the future we will be surveying, mapping and restoring ponds and hedgerows which are vital elements in the village’s continuing nature restoration.

Click on the links below to find out more about each project
   

The more of us taking part the more successful we can be and the more wildlife rich our village can be. If you would like to be part of any of the projects, or have additional ideas you would like to share please contact us at -  wilderwenhaston@gmail.com.