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| Can city cemeteries be nature reserves? | Can city cemeteries be nature reserves? |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| By Victoria Gill and Karen Millington BBC Religion and Ethics | By Victoria Gill and Karen Millington BBC Religion and Ethics |
| A sea of gravestones etched with the names of lost loved ones might not be what you would picture when you imagine a nature reserve. | A sea of gravestones etched with the names of lost loved ones might not be what you would picture when you imagine a nature reserve. |
| But Manchester City Council plans to give Southern Cemetery in south Manchester, which is the largest cemetery in the UK, that official title. | But Manchester City Council plans to give Southern Cemetery in south Manchester, which is the largest cemetery in the UK, that official title. |
| According to Natural England, it will be one of just 10 graveyard nature reserves in England. And it is part of a bigger plan in Manchester to put cemeteries "on the map" for nature-loving urbanites. | According to Natural England, it will be one of just 10 graveyard nature reserves in England. And it is part of a bigger plan in Manchester to put cemeteries "on the map" for nature-loving urbanites. |
| So just how wild can a burial ground be? | So just how wild can a burial ground be? |
| David Barlow, who leads the environmental strategy team for the local authority, says cemeteries are "hidden gems". | David Barlow, who leads the environmental strategy team for the local authority, says cemeteries are "hidden gems". |
| "They're lovely places for wildlife," he told the BBC. | "They're lovely places for wildlife," he told the BBC. |
| Mr Barlow and his council colleagues have the power to "officially designate" an area a nature reserve. | Mr Barlow and his council colleagues have the power to "officially designate" an area a nature reserve. |
| But to have the support of Natural England, the government body that sets the definition of a national nature reserve, they must demonstrate that the proposed site is "special" in terms of the flora and fauna it harbours, and that the council is working to protect it. | But to have the support of Natural England, the government body that sets the definition of a national nature reserve, they must demonstrate that the proposed site is "special" in terms of the flora and fauna it harbours, and that the council is working to protect it. |
| This means marrying up nature conservation with running a working cemetery, which can be a challenge. | This means marrying up nature conservation with running a working cemetery, which can be a challenge. |
| As Mr Barlow explained: "People don't want a messy, overgrown grave for a loved one." | As Mr Barlow explained: "People don't want a messy, overgrown grave for a loved one." |
| So the council has set out to strike a balance between biodiversity and burial site. | So the council has set out to strike a balance between biodiversity and burial site. |
| In some of the very old areas of the cemetery where few people now visit, they have stopped mowing the grass around the headstones to encourage wild flowers to grow. | In some of the very old areas of the cemetery where few people now visit, they have stopped mowing the grass around the headstones to encourage wild flowers to grow. |
| "We still cut the grass in parts of these areas to create pathways and access to graves," explained a council spokesperson. | "We still cut the grass in parts of these areas to create pathways and access to graves," explained a council spokesperson. |
| "[And] we continue to cut the grass on a regular basis in the areas where graves are visited regularly. | "[And] we continue to cut the grass on a regular basis in the areas where graves are visited regularly. |
| "People can still place flowers at the headstones of every grave." | "People can still place flowers at the headstones of every grave." |
| As Mandy Elford from the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit explained, the "more natural areas", where the grass has been left to grow already contain a variety of wild flowers, including bluebells, lesser celandine, cuckoo flower, common sorrel and common dog violet. | As Mandy Elford from the Greater Manchester Ecology Unit explained, the "more natural areas", where the grass has been left to grow already contain a variety of wild flowers, including bluebells, lesser celandine, cuckoo flower, common sorrel and common dog violet. |
| "Southern Cemetery has also just introduced a meadow burial site and intend to create a wildflower meadow in this area," she said. | "Southern Cemetery has also just introduced a meadow burial site and intend to create a wildflower meadow in this area," she said. |
| The council has also been working with local wildlife groups to survey the site's wildlife. Ultimately, they hope to organise bird or href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/thingstodo/project/countryfile" >bat-watching tours, to show local people that the graveyard is a space they can visit and enjoy. | |
| Clare Sefton, from the South Lancashire bat group, has carried out bat surveys in Southern Cemetery. | Clare Sefton, from the South Lancashire bat group, has carried out bat surveys in Southern Cemetery. |
| She has found three of the UK's 18 bat species in the cemetery. | She has found three of the UK's 18 bat species in the cemetery. |
| "As well as common pipistrelles, we've recorded soprano pipistrelles and noctule bats, which are the UK's largest species," she told the BBC. | "As well as common pipistrelles, we've recorded soprano pipistrelles and noctule bats, which are the UK's largest species," she told the BBC. |
| She explained that the flying mammals hunt for insects among the cemetery's avenues of mature deciduous trees. | She explained that the flying mammals hunt for insects among the cemetery's avenues of mature deciduous trees. |
| "The cemetery provides an insect-rich habitat in a largely urban area which is a great haven for feeding bats along with some large, old trees which could support bat roosts," she said. | "The cemetery provides an insect-rich habitat in a largely urban area which is a great haven for feeding bats along with some large, old trees which could support bat roosts," she said. |
| Graveyard safari | Graveyard safari |
| Southern Cemetery is a huge Victorian graveyard, spanning 40 hectares. It is the final resting place of such notable Greater Manchester luminaries as Sir Matt Busby and L S Lowry. | Southern Cemetery is a huge Victorian graveyard, spanning 40 hectares. It is the final resting place of such notable Greater Manchester luminaries as Sir Matt Busby and L S Lowry. |
| But its hidden wild side really comes to life in the evening. | But its hidden wild side really comes to life in the evening. |
| During her late night bat walks in the burial ground, Ms Sefton has encountered tawny owls and foxes, as well as the three species of bat that were the focus of her work. | During her late night bat walks in the burial ground, Ms Sefton has encountered tawny owls and foxes, as well as the three species of bat that were the focus of her work. |
| This nocturnal activity is not surprising, according to urban ecologist Prof Philip James from Salford University. | This nocturnal activity is not surprising, according to urban ecologist Prof Philip James from Salford University. |
| "Cemeteries were created by enclosing countryside often contain species-rich grassland, heathland, and woodland," he said. | "Cemeteries were created by enclosing countryside often contain species-rich grassland, heathland, and woodland," he said. |
| "[These are] habitats that have disappeared elsewhere in the city as other land around the cemetery has been built on for housing or business." | "[These are] habitats that have disappeared elsewhere in the city as other land around the cemetery has been built on for housing or business." |
| Crucially, they are also quiet places, leaving wildlife to roam largely undisturbed. | Crucially, they are also quiet places, leaving wildlife to roam largely undisturbed. |
| "You find badgers - which cause problems in some cemeteries by digging up the graves," Prof James told the BBC. | "You find badgers - which cause problems in some cemeteries by digging up the graves," Prof James told the BBC. |
| "There are often foxes, deer, bats, all the small mammals, [including] shrews and voles, along with a variety of birds nesting the old trees can all be found." | "There are often foxes, deer, bats, all the small mammals, [including] shrews and voles, along with a variety of birds nesting the old trees can all be found." |
| Any unmown grass, patches of which are being left by cemetery management, can be a haven for insects and spiders. | Any unmown grass, patches of which are being left by cemetery management, can be a haven for insects and spiders. |
| And while native plants such as bluebells grow in the woodland, Prof James says that some "interesting communities of introduced plants [have been] brought in to the cemetery by families". | And while native plants such as bluebells grow in the woodland, Prof James says that some "interesting communities of introduced plants [have been] brought in to the cemetery by families". |
| "You sometimes find climbing roses or buddleia that people have planted at their loved ones' graves," he added. | "You sometimes find climbing roses or buddleia that people have planted at their loved ones' graves," he added. |
| A big part of the project is addressing the challenge of giving people access to quiet, natural spaces that the council says can improve people's quality of life. This is a particular priority for a city with a post-industrial landscape. | A big part of the project is addressing the challenge of giving people access to quiet, natural spaces that the council says can improve people's quality of life. This is a particular priority for a city with a post-industrial landscape. |
| "We have the legacy of the industrial revolution; We're the first industrial city," said Mr Barlow. | "We have the legacy of the industrial revolution; We're the first industrial city," said Mr Barlow. |
| "So having spaces for nature is really important for us." | "So having spaces for nature is really important for us." |
| Prof James added that, because the cemetery land was encapsulated in the 1870s, it contains truly old habitats - the remnants of what the countryside was like in those days. | Prof James added that, because the cemetery land was encapsulated in the 1870s, it contains truly old habitats - the remnants of what the countryside was like in those days. |
| "Urban habitats are, in many places, can be more diverse than the countryside, which is dominated by agriculture," he told the BBC. | "Urban habitats are, in many places, can be more diverse than the countryside, which is dominated by agriculture," he told the BBC. |
| "Here we have real diversity." | "Here we have real diversity." |
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