An overview of the progress of the project to record the vascular plants in the churchyards of Sussex, England

1. SUSSEX CHURCHYARD PROJECT
2016

2. FIRSTLY – THANK-YOU!
TO ALL THE MEMBERS WHO TOOK PART
• East Sussex
• 22 members
• 75 churchyards/cemeteries
• 8047 records
• West Sussex
• 17 members
• 77 churchyards/cemeteries
• 7,9990 records
• (Completed records from
• visits throughout the year)
All photos. Helen Proctor unless
stated otherwise.
Catsfield

3. Distribution of recorded churches
East
SussexMap from Google Earth. Ed. Brad. Scott

4. Distribution of recorded churches
West Sussex
Map from Google Earth. Ed. Brad Scott

5. Habitats in Churchyards
Grassland - as lawns OR as meadows
Herstmonceux Churchyard
Boxgrove Priory Churchyard

6. More Habitats
ALSO
Paths – Brick, gravel
Woodland Hedgerows
Walls – Escaping
the strimmer-
Litlington!
Asplenium ruta-muraria
Herstmonceux

7. Churchyards as Nature Reserves
Hadlow Down
Churchyard
Danehill
Churchyard
Photo Stephanie Miles

8. Grassland Management
Conservation areas
Grass cut in Autumn
Cuttings removed
Mountfield
Westmeston
Never cut or cuttings
left in situChiddingly

9. Introduced Plants
Davidia involucrata at
Tidebrook
Saxifraga granulata flore pleno
Photo. Peter Smith
Photo. Judy Clark
Selaginella kraussiana Photo. James McCulloch

10. Lichens in Churchyards
Caloplaca flavescens
Ochrolechia parella Lecanora chlarotera
Llimonaea sorediataPhotos. Ishpi Blatchley

11. Changes since the 1980s Surveys
1980s records
generally lower
than in2016
Possible reasons:-
• Less expertise
• No ‘Poland’ for
Vegetative ID of
grasses!
A few totals of records are
identical or nearly so.
Same or different species?
1980s 2016
Hadlow Down 132 134
Pevensey 73 73
Spithurst 127 129
Aldingbourne 112 112
Ashurst 109 109
Ebernoe 110 110
Lodsworth 123 123

12. LOOKING FORWARD TO 2017
• Thank-you again!
• The project continues
next year.
• A list of churchyards for
recording will be
published later.
• Notes on management
greatly appreciated.
Netherfield