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Biodiversity in Worcester
We are suffering a biodiversity crisis, with a critical loss of species across the world. The UK is one of the most nature-depleted countries on the planet, and a city is probably not where you would expect to find much in the way of wildlife. However, urban environments can still be bustling with life, with gardens, road verges and train lines creating wildlife corridors, birds and bats nesting in eaves, and mosses and lichens growing on buildings.
In Worcester, we are also lucky to have plenty of beautiful green and blue spaces in the city. Here are some of the key habitats the WEG works in, and where you can go to enjoy them. If you want to help protect and enhance biodiversity in Worcester, you can get involved or check out 52 things you can do for nature.
Key Habitats
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Wildflower Verges and Meadows
There are so many beautiful wildflowers hiding in our fields, verges and lawns, just waiting for a chance to grow. Not mowing the verge on Dugdale Drive allowed over 30 species of flowers and other plants to bloom, without the need to plant anything new. These habitats can be incredibly diverse and are vital for our pollinators, which in turn feed birds and bats, and provide cover for hedgehogs, frogs, newts and many other species.
A key conservation activity is cutting and collecting the dying grass from meadows in late summer, after everything has set seed. This replicates traditional hay-making and removes the nutrients from the soil, benefiting flowers which prefer low fertility. A few years ago, we lobbied the City Council to procure a cut and collect machine, and our volunteers can often be seen out with rakes, tackling the areas which are harder to reach.
We also have an annual collection of yellow rattle, which we sow in developing meadows and often distribute to other local groups. This is an incredible flower which is semi-parasitic on grass and helps other species to get a foothold.
For stunning wildflower displays, visit Aconbury Orchard, Chapter Meadows, Hillwood Meadows, Racefield Meadows or Trotshill Field in summer. They are positively buzzing with bees and butterflies. (Links to WaWW pages where they exist)
Traditional Orchards
Worcestershire used to be renowned for its orchards, but these have largely disappeared over the last century.
Fruit trees provide food for people and wildlife and, since they are short-lived, they are quick to develop veteran features like rotting wood, split bark and hollow trunks. These support fungi, lichens and insects. At Aconbury Orchard, over 70 moths were found to be making this beautiful location their home.
We have planted heritage fruit trees across many sites in Worcester, replacing dead trees and creating whole new orchards. We also prune existing trees to keep them healthy, and care for the surrounding habitats.
For beautiful blossoms, visit orchards in spring, or gather some fruit in autumn. Visit Aconbury or Trotshill Orchard, and smaller community orchards like at Battenhall Park, Lyppard Grange and Perdiswell Park.
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Coppiced Woodland
There are many areas of woodland in Worcester which are cut on rotation every few years. These are mostly stands of hazel, but willow is also coppiced. Both are very fast-growing and these regular cuts promote new growth and prolong the lives of the trees, while also allowing more light to the understory and allowing other plants to flourish.
Coppicing is one of our primary activities over Winter, when the trees are dormant and there are no birds nesting. We often use the cut material as stakes and binders, to build dead hedges in other locations. This reduces waste and also creates new habitats.
For stunning displays of bluebells, visit Perry, Nunnery or Tolladine Woods in April or May.
Hedgerows
We often overlook the boundaries of fields, paths and roads, but wildlife thrives in edges and transitions, and hedges provide vital shelter and corridors in both rural and urban areas. Native hedging also provides food to insects, birds and mammals in the form of flowers, berries and nuts.
The WEG planted a 400 metre ‘edible hedge’ at Aconbury Orchard, made up of native trees and shrubs. We also coppice blackthorn in established hedges, which supports the rare Brown Hairstreak butterfly, as well as encouraging more flowers and sloes to be produced.
Dead hedges are also an excellent way of creating boundaries or refuge areas for wildlife. They provide shelter for small animals and slowly rot down, supporting invertebrates.
There are gorgeous hedges all over Worcester, but take a walk along the canal to see an abundance of birds at all times of year, or try Red Hill for an example of agricultural habitats.
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