The Rewilding Project  at St Thomas’ Church, Mellor

The Eco Group, led by ordinand Clare Jackson, in Mellor have reformed and have almost completed their Eco Church Bronze Award.  Members of the local church, the school and the community have been helping to plant trees on the farm just above the church where a rewilding project is underway.  Widening the Eco Church activities outside the church grounds builds links with the community and helps to care for creation all over the parish.

The rewilding project at Meadow’s Farm is reclaiming some under used agricultural land.  The farmer, Rob Allen, has spent about six years removing rubbish, replacing fences with hedges and returning the land to wetland ponds. The next project will be to uncover the drains to become waterways to connect the ponds. They have breeding pairs of curlews back on the land, all the owls, deer moving through now because they have taken the livestock fencing out which has led to these great nature and biodiversity wins.

The wire livestock fencing has been removed and has been replaced with a mixed hedge of beech, birch, holly, hazel and dog rose. The aim is to increase to eight hectares of mixed woodland.  The project was possible through funding and help of the Cheshire Wildlife Trust.

The success of the project so far has not just been because of funding for tree planting.  It has worked because the local wider community has connected so enthusiastically; it has brought hope for people wanting to change their mindset from doom to positive action; through looking after God’s creation, they are building trust and hope back into their own lives, and for the future of their children too.

Eco Church Survey Link – Land & Nature 6, 11