Church Copse Rejuvenation
Date Published: 15th April 2024
In the spring of 2005 the Uphill Village Society undertook a major regeneration of the copse adajacent to St Nicholas Church in Uphill Road South that had long been neglected and was disowned by the local council, church and Manor.
The area had become rat invested and overgrown. Folowing ground clearance grass seed was sown at the town end after fresh top soil had been imported. This took well and that area of the site is now regularly mowed courtsesy of a near neighbour.
A meadow mix of native grass seed and wild flowers was sown at the church end but this struggled to take despite the thinner and poorer soil there where they will usuially do well. Further wild flower seeds and native bulbs were planted over the folowing years and arangements made for a more restricted regime of cutting grass cutting put in place.
Acting on the advice of Avon Wildlife Trust, North Somerset Council's biodiversity officer and others it was agreed that ivy and other appropriate palnting immediately around the trees would be retained or encouraged to return to the area.
During the lockdown period this cutting regime could not be maintained and the area once again became overgrown stifling the growth of the wildflowers and bulbs planted and became a dumping area for fly tipping and other rubbish. In the circumstances the society is undertaking a renewed clearance and rejuvenation of the site. When done grass cutting on a more regular basis will be arranged and the regrowth of appropriate planting immediately around the trees will be enuraged.
If possible additional nest boxes will be added to those already installed by the society and fixed to various trees hopefully as part of a nature project to be undertaken by local schools.