TALK: Researching God’s Acre – Biodiversity in British Churchyards by Jess Botha

Churches, and their associated churchyards, are a familiar sight across England and Wales, with around 20,000 churchyards in these two countries. These sacred spaces are valuable archives of hundreds of years of social history, places for commemoration and remembrance, and sanctuaries for wildlife and flora. This last becomes ever more important as our biodiversity is threatened by climate change, habitat loss, and the intensification of land management practices. 

Join Jess Botha, a 2nd year PhD student at the University of York, as she introduces her research and discusses why churchyards are so important for biodiversity, how church groups are helping nature, and the challenges involved in doing so. Jess will also be discussing her future plans for her research and what she has discovered so far.

Entry is free and light refreshments will be available. Hope to see you there!

Jess Botha Biography – Jess is a 2nd year PhD student at the University of York. Her research focuses on biodiversity gains in churchyards as a microcosm for UK biodiversity gains. She is also a fully trained ecological consultant, and does this work freelance alongside her PhD. Previously, Jess worked as a Funeral Service Operative, which is where her love for burial grounds of all kinds came from.