[Adastra] old meadow fungi survey

[david bangs]

ATTACHED report will be of interest to some. I very much welcome comments.

I would like to know how many of my survey sites have already been recorded, and to see the records of those which have.

The report does not contain the full site species lists. When I've finished them these will be sent to the individual site owners, the myco groups, and SXBRC separately.

Much of this survey work has been in churchyards, which are the strongest redoubt of old meadow fungi in the lowlands.

My big anxiety is that the church's continued decline will mean that the essential upkeep of these churchyards will decline too, as it already has on some redundant and semi-redundant churches, like old Plumpton and Wiston.

We can hope that the neighbouring secular community will take up this management task, at least on the better sites, but I think that trend will be very weak in the absence of real financial resources and much better knowledge and appreciation of these delightful archaic grassland fungal assemblages. For instance, Old Plumpton churchyard is right next to the Agricultural College, with all its busy conservation courses, but its churchyard is a neglected and sad place and all fungal interest seems to have gone.

Most of these high wildlife value churchyards are owned by the state church - the Church of England. I think that the secular state needs to take over responsibilty for the ecclesiastical state's heritage of wonderful ancient buildings and archaic grassland churchyards.

Otherwise the collapse of the Church of England (which ex-Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey predicts will take place in the next 25 years) will also bring about the collapse of a large part of yet another ecosystem,

Dave Bangs
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[Vivien Hodge]

Hi Dave



Your report makes fascinating (and saddening) reading, the detail and
research that has gone into it is admirable. I do hope it will help
reverse the decline of the sites you have visited and raise awareness of
these important fungal ecosystems. The decline of the Church is certainly
worrying in this context and perhaps local communities might be persuaded to
take on the management of the churchyards if they knew how wonderful this
suite of fungi are. Maybe something like an 'adopt a waxcap' scheme?



Vivien





From: Adastra [mailto:adastra-bounces at lists.sxbrc.org.uk] On Behalf Of david
bangs
Sent: 23 November 2013 08:34
To: adastra at lists.sxbrc.org.uk
Subject: [Adastra] old meadow fungi survey



ATTACHED report will be of interest to some. I very much welcome comments.



I would like to know how many of my survey sites have already been recorded,
and to see the records of those which have.



The report does not contain the full site species lists. When I've finished
them these will be sent to the individual site owners, the myco groups, and
SXBRC separately.



Much of this survey work has been in churchyards, which are the strongest
redoubt of old meadow fungi in the lowlands.



My big anxiety is that the church's continued decline will mean that the
essential upkeep of these churchyards will decline too, as it already has on
some redundant and semi-redundant churches, like old Plumpton and Wiston.



We can hope that the neighbouring secular community will take up this
management task, at least on the better sites, but I think that trend will
be very weak in the absence of real financial resources and much better
knowledge and appreciation of these delightful archaic grassland fungal
assemblages. For instance, Old Plumpton churchyard is right next to the
Agricultural College, with all its busy conservation courses, but its
churchyard is a neglected and sad place and all fungal interest seems to
have gone.



Most of these high wildlife value churchyards are owned by the state church
- the Church of England. I think that the secular state needs to take over
responsibilty for the ecclesiastical state's heritage of wonderful ancient
buildings and archaic grassland churchyards.



Otherwise the collapse of the Church of England (which ex-Archbishop of
Canterbury George Carey predicts will take place in the next 25 years) will
also bring about the collapse of a large part of yet another ecosystem,



Dave Bangs

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[wareham.d.f]

Hello, Your above message I think must have been intended for another
person. I point this out just incase the message did not reach the targeted
person.

Regards

David Wareham

Post by Vivien Hodge
Hi Dave
Your report makes fascinating (and saddening) reading, the detail and
research that has gone into it is admirable. I do hope it will help
reverse the decline of the sites you have visited and raise awareness of
these important fungal ecosystems. The decline of the Church is certainly
worrying in this context and perhaps local communities might be persuaded
to take on the management of the churchyards if they knew how wonderful
this suite of fungi are. Maybe something like an ?adopt a waxcap? scheme?
Vivien
*From:* Adastra [mailto:adastra-bounces at lists.sxbrc.org.uk] *On Behalf Of
*david bangs
*Sent:* 23 November 2013 08:34
*To:* adastra at lists.sxbrc.org.uk
*Subject:* [Adastra] old meadow fungi survey
ATTACHED report will be of interest to some. I very much welcome comments.
I would like to know how many of my survey sites have already been
recorded, and to see the records of those which have.
The report does not contain the full site species lists. When I've
finished them these will be sent to the individual site owners, the myco
groups, and SXBRC separately.
Much of this survey work has been in churchyards, which are the strongest
redoubt of old meadow fungi in the lowlands.
My big anxiety is that the church's continued decline will mean that the
essential upkeep of these churchyards will decline too, as it already has
on some redundant and semi-redundant churches, like old Plumpton and Wiston.
We can hope that the neighbouring secular community will take up this
management task, at least on the better sites, but I think that trend will
be very weak in the absence of real financial resources and much better
knowledge and appreciation of these delightful archaic grassland fungal
assemblages. For instance, Old Plumpton churchyard is right next to the
Agricultural College, with all its busy conservation courses, but its
churchyard is a neglected and sad place and all fungal interest seems to
have gone.
Most of these high wildlife value churchyards are owned by the state
church - the Church of England. I think that the secular state needs to
take over responsibilty for the ecclesiastical state's heritage of
wonderful ancient buildings and archaic grassland churchyards.
Otherwise the collapse of the Church of England (which ex-Archbishop of
Canterbury George Carey predicts will take place in the next 25 years) will
also bring about the collapse of a large part of yet another ecosystem,
Dave Bangs

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