Birds, Bees, Bugs and Butterflies - A Journey Towards Biodiversity
November 2025
Written by Clare Limb & Hazel Allister
Exciting developments are underway as our initiative to boost local biodiversity kicks off, starting with swifts and a wildlife corridor.
The swift project, led by Jennie Reid, is being developed in collaboration with St. Mary’s Church and Derbyshire Swift Conservation.
The plan is to install swift boxes and a caller at the church, setting the stage to expand this effort to other public and private buildings in the area.
Our goal is to welcome more Swifts to their new home in Crich.
Ideas for the wildlife corridor were sparked earlier this summer when Hazel Allister and other Transition Crich members visited Chris and Sheila’s remarkable butterfly corridor garden in Darley Dale.
Inspired by this visit, Hazel invited Chris to see their rewilded plot, which has been left largely to nature over the past few years.
“To our delight, Chris was optimistic about our progress, noting that we were close to creating a habitat conducive to butterflies for feeding and egg-laying. While there's still work to be done, like removing thistles and learning more about plant management, our community and neighbours are collectively crafting a butterfly corridor here in Crich. Isn’t that fantastic?"
We're also planning to enhance our "plant for pollinators" initiatives by creating wildlife gardens with St. Mary’s Church on their closed Burial Ground and with Crich Junior School on their field.
Photos of work already started at St Mary's where earlier this year volunteers worked in the wildlife area to check on the progress of the bee bank, add to the log pile, remove brambles from the meadow and ivy from the yews, give the grass it’s last mow of the season and work on the composting.
Homeowners are encouraged to adapt their gardens to support birds, bees, bugs and butterflies. Consider planting hedges, plants and wildflowers in your garden to attract a variety of pollinating insects. One of the best additions to your garden, no matter how small, is a pond, as it provides an excellent breeding ground for insects. You really can make a difference.
And remember, please don’t use insecticides!
We plan to revisit the Darley Dale garden next June for some more inspiration and you're welcome to join us. Stay tuned for updates!
