Wilder Wenhaston

Wilder Wenhaston is a network of villagers who have joined forces to help local nature recovery and improve our neighbourhood environment for people and wildlife within the context of the wider climate emergency. It was established after several villagers identified a need for action. 

During the Covid pandemic several villagers carried out surveys with around 40 weekly records collated. As well as recording over 100 bird species (some were just one individual) the surveys also recorded a wide range of other wildlife seen within the parish boundary, however it did highlight how much was missing. No one recorded frog or toad spawn seen either in their gardens or the wider countryside and hedgehogs were confined to just a few locations. 

It’s widely reported how depleted our wildlife is, 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. Shifting baselines has become a familiar term meaning that each generation thinks that what it’s experiencing is normal when in fact there has been tremendous change in our wildlife experience over the years. Despite stating they are committed to restoring nature our government is unlikely to implement changes anytime soon, conservation charities cannot make change on their own and so it’s down to all of us to play our part reversing this catastrophic situation.

This is where Wilder Wenhaston wants to help everyone do their bit for the natural world locally. 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.  

Wilder Wenhaston has several projects that we want to start in the coming months working with villagers and landowners, that are suitable for anyone interested to join in. 

The first is a heritage tree survey where the aim is to record significant trees in the parish whether by age, species, or their place in the local landscape. The process of recording is straightforward for volunteers to help with but needs to be consistent, to this end volunteers will receive training.

Other projects underway include surveying, mapping and restoring ponds and hedgerows; planting new woodlands, gardening for wildlife, which will include helping hedgehogs and amphibians through recording, giving advice, and demonstrating what works through a series of open gardens. Future projects can include planting wildflowers along our roadsides and field margins, tackling pollution of our water courses and improving waste management. 

The more of us taking part the more successful we 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. 

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

Future projects may include planting wildflowers along our roadsides, tackling pollution of our water courses, improving waste management and light pollution.