Churches Count on Nature 2025 | The Church of England

A woman and child are standing in a green space, ticking plants off a list in a book

During Love your Burial Ground Week/Churches Count on Nature hundreds of church communities across the country take part in a week-long nature count to monitor and celebrate the biodiversity in churchyards, which this year takes place from Saturday 7 June to Sunday 15 June.

In 2024 there were 6,354 records of nature spotted that were submitted by nearly 6,000 participants, representing a fantastic contribution to the understanding of the ecological value of these special places.

This initiative is jointly run by the conservation charities Caring for God’s Acre and A Rocha UK, together with the Church of England and the Church in Wales.

You can find plenty of helpful resources and comprehensive FAQs, including information on downloading and using the iNaturalist app to record your nature spotting at LYBGW/CCoN 2025 resources and there is also a link to a map showing where events have been registered if you are looking for a churchyard to visit.

Individuals and groups can register their event at LYBGW/CCoN 2025 register Please register before 23 May to guarantee your will receive your resources pack in time for your event.

As part of Churches Count on Nature 2025 the Church of England with Caring for God's Acre will be repeating our popular lunchtime webinar series on different aspects of land and nature, with all sessions starting at midday. To book the webinar of your choice just click on the link.

This year's webinars are as below:

Monday 9 June, People and Nature - 5 Steps to Churchyard & other burial ground Management

This webinar will help you get started with planning management of your churchyard, cemetery or chapel yard, providing a simple structure to aid decision making. It will cover consideration of people, wildlife and heritage, finding a way through often conflicting ideas and priorities on how best to manage these special places. You will also receive tips on engaging the wider community and hopefully generating new volunteers.

Speaker

Harriet Carty, from the conservation charity Caring for God's Acre is a seasoned ecologist with a passion for wildlife. From the Seychelles to the Orkney Islands, she's worked on nature reserves, focusing on land management. landscape-scale habitat restoration, volunteering and training. Harriet has been working for Caring for God’s Acre for ten years and has been director of the charity since January 2017.

Tuesday 10 June, Eco Churches count on nature! How Eco Churches are taking action for nature year-round

This webinar will cover Eco Church's wider work, the online survey, and recent changes that encourage churches of all sizes, locations and denominations to care for nature all year round, whether they directly manage land or not. Hear stories about Eco Churches making a difference for nature and people, and be inspired to re-envision your church’s interaction with nature.

Speakers

Helen Stephens is Church Relations Manager at A Rocha UK where she has overseen the growth of the Eco Church programme for over seven years. She worked for her Vicar before joining ARUK and also has a background in the telecommunications industry including in corporate responsibility.

Delyth Higgins has been Eco Church Officer for Wales for just over three years. Previously she worked with Renew Wales, both as a local coordinator and then as Communications Officer, and before that, worked in various community development and environmental community engagement roles in the Swansea area for nearly 15 years.

Wednesday 11 June, On the ground - practical conservation management in 2 churchyards

Managing a churchyard for biodiversity doesn't mean letting everything go wild - far from it! Speakers from churchyards as far apart as South Shropshire and the Lincolnshire Wolds talk about how they have approached managing their churchyards, bringing other people on board with their vision and the day to day practicalities. They will discuss some of the challenges and share the positives in terms of encouraging more understanding of biodiversity and providing opportunities for the local community to share in the churchyard.

Speakers

Isabel and Mike Carter both studied Plant Sciences at university and worked for many years in international development, teaching agriculture in Papua New Guinea and working with farmers in Kenya. Since retiring they’ve renewed their interest in the natural sciences, surveying local fauna and flora, and getting involved in the practical management of local nature reserves.

Ruth Russell-Jones is sole churchwarden at St Helena’s Church in Willoughby [in a group of churches in the fifth year of vacancy] on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds. Ruth works on the premise that ‘church’ is as much in the churchyard as in the building; she is endlessly fascinated by the biodiversity at St Helena’s.

Thursday 12 June, Here be dragons - amphibians and reptiles in burial grounds

The webinar will introduce the amphibians and reptiles likely to be found within churchyards and cemeteries. This talk will cover where and when to look for them, how to identify them, looking after the animals that are present including legal protections and also how to improve a site for both groups.

Speaker

Maiya Evans is chair of Nottinghamshire Amphibian and Reptile Group with her main role being training members in surveying and identification as well as an intern for ARGUK. She has surveyed amphibians and reptiles for 8 years and still continues to enjoy every minute!

Friday 13 June, Open to All - challenges and opportunities for accessibility in churchyards

David Primrose will chair a discussion about accessibility in churchyards in its widest form, with a panel of people with lived experience or professional expertise. As well as addressing aspects of physical accessibility, the discussion will include topics such as sensory overload and how to communicate that these are places that welcome everybody.

Speakers

Revd Canon Dr David Primrose acted as Social Responsibility Officer for the Diocese of Lichfield. His portfolio included the environment and disabilities. This combination coincided with his pastoral experience as a vicar of the importance of ensuring that churchyards were accessible to all parishioners, whether visiting family graves and/or finding peace in these special community spaces. So it was most natural for him to organise a day conference on Accessibility and Churchyards in 2019, with contributions from the Lichfield diocesan disability officer, Caring for God’s Acre and Shropshire Disability Network.

Helen James is the Project Manager for the Disability Project 2024, an initiative funded by the National Church to promote and enhance the accessibility, inclusion and participation of Deaf and disabled people across all areas of our Church’s life. Helen lives on the sunny south coast, and loves travelling by bike and train!

Jeanette Appleton is a retired occupational therapist; a member of General Synod’s Committee for Ministry of and among Deaf and Disabled People and a member of the St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocesan Disability Inclusion group.

Claire Strachan has been working in the heritage sector for over 20 years and is currently the Church Buildings Projects Officer for the Diocese of Coventry. She has a keen passion for the role that the heritage and nature in churchyards can play in connecting people to these special places. Claire's commitment to accessibility and inclusivity is driven by her personal experience as parent to her brilliant 10-year-old 'neurospicy' son, which fuels her dedication to creating welcoming and inclusive environments for everyone.

Recordings of past webinars

The recordings of our 25 webinars from 2021, 2022, and 2024 can be found in a playlist on YouTube here, or individually below.

2021

Nature and climate: twin crises, shared solutions watch recording (starts at 2mins15)
Forest Church watch recording
The National Burial Grounds Survey watch recording
Finding our faith in trees watch recording
5 steps to good management of your churchyard or burial ground watch recording
Practical examples from Bristol Diocese of churchyards managed for nature watch recording
Blooming and beautiful: flower-rich grasslands watch recording
Bats in Churches watch recording
Devon Living Churchyards Project watch recording
Eco Church: Land watch recording
A beginner's guide to biodiversity and ecology watch recording
Biological recording for Churches Count of Nature and the Beautiful Burial Ground Project watch recording

2022

“Knowing your ant from your elder” Why and how to record during Churches Count on Nature watch recording
Life on the Edge Exploring the Oceans Through Science and Faith watch recording
Getting involved in the Bats in Churches project watch recording
Eco Church Land watch recording
How the Church Commissioners are managing land for climate and nature watch webinar
Blooming and Beautiful - Flower Rich Churchyards watch webinar
The Nature Recovery Network watch webinar
Sustaining church: Using your church spaces for growing food and growing mission watch webinar
Urban Hope - how to create space for nature in a small space watch webinar
Becoming Nature Positive: tackling the joint crises of biodiversity loss and climate change watch webinar