You don't need to be an expert to get involved. We run training courses to help people gain confidence in identifying wild plants and you can come along to one of our group surveys to practice your new skills and meet other surveyors.

If you have experience in any aspect of wildlife surveying, we would also love to hear from you - be it plants, grasses, invertebrates or mammals. There are opportunities within the Wildlife in Sacred Places project for confident volunteers to undertake surveys independently and we may have other surveying projects that you can get involved with

For more information on volunteering with the Trust, click here.

Survey Sacred Places 2010

Over the next year (and final year of the project) our aim is to continue to survey over 200 church grounds and other places associated with worship and retreat around Cumbria.  We want to find out just how rich these areas are for wildlife and in particular to find out just how many different plant species can be found in them

We will also be working with church communities to help them enhance their grounds for wildlife.

2010 Group Survey Days

Why not come along for a relaxed day of plant surveying in a church yard? Everyone is welcome, from experienced botanists to those who are completely new to plant identification. Booking is recommended but not essential. Tel. 01539 816300 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it   We will bring along all the equipment and forms for doing the survey, so just turn up with suitable clothing and a packed lunch.

14 July 2010 Wed 10.00am-4.00pm
Wildlife in Sacred Places group survey day at Dacre
Meet at St Andrew's Church, Dacre. GR: NY 460 267

4 August 2010 Wed 10.00am-4.00pm
Wildlife in Sacred Places group survey day at Bewcastle
Meet at St Cuthbert's Church, Bewcastle, GR: NY 565 745

This is our last for the Wildlife in Sacred Places project. We are already planning how to involve more volunteers and more sacred places. If you are interested in joining us, why not email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

The project is sponsored by The Heritage Lottery Fund and Cumbria Waste Management Environment Trust. 

Health and Safety for Surveyors

Surveying for Cumbria Wildlife Trust should be a pleasurable experience, and we do not want to weigh you down with gloom-laden health and safety paper work. We do, however, want to avoid any incidents that would spoil your enjoyment of the day or affect your health later on. Please read the following and bear the points in mind when out doing survey work.

• Trips and slips. Churchyards often have plenty of places where you can accidentally fall, from uneven or stony ground to slopes that may be wet. Please wear appropriate footwear (walking boots or Wellingtons) where this is an issue and be careful where there are brambles or possible unseen trip hazards.
• Unstable headstones. Headstones can fall over and are heavy. It is best to assume that all headstones can potentially do this so don’t lean on them or sit beneath them.
• Hands and knees. When surveying you may well find yourself on your hands and knees to get a closer look at plants. Be aware that there may be broken glass, thorns or animal faeces (eg from dogs) so have a good look around the area before getting down to ground level.
• Weather. Dress appropriately, especially if it is going to be cold or wet. Remember you sun hat and sun cream to avoid sunburn.
• Be in contact. Before you go out surveying tell someone where you are going and what time you will return. This is especially important if you are going to be on your own or if you are going somewhere that is remote. At Cumbria Wildlife Trust we use a “Buddy System” where we tell someone where we are going and arrange to contact him or her on our return. If your buddy does not hear from you by a certain time they will try to contact you or raise the alarm. This may sound unnecessary if you are going only a short distance to a local churchyard but it is a good habit to get into. Remember that mobile phone coverage can often be poor in Cumbria. The Code of Practice for Cumbria Wildlife’s Buddy System can be found here.
• Ticks. Sheep and dear ticks in Cumbria may carry Lymes Disease. The best protection is to avoid being bitten: wear Wellington boots or tuck your trousers into your socks and avoid brushing bare skin against long grass and bracken. When you have finished your survey brush down your clothing before getting in your car and when you get home do check yourself for ticks and remove any that you find. For more information you can go to www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/ticks

Please have a safe and enjoyable survey season. If you do spot any hazards that you think others should be aware of then please contact us or, if appropriate, report them to the emergency services.

The Cumbria Wildlife’s Code of Practice for Occupational Health can be found here.

Downloadable Information for Volunteer Surveyors

Churches Surveyed so far

Surveyors Handbook

Risk Assessment

Survey forms 

PDF versions:  
 Latin English
 English Latin

Excel versions:
Latin-English
English-Latin

Go to the 'Information for Church communities' page to see more posters and leaflets.

To contact a member of the Wildlife in Sacred Places team, email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

This project is funded by