What We Do

The Volunteers’ Aims are to:

• Assist with the management of East Wickham Open Space
• Preserve and improve the area as a local amenity
• Protect the existing flora and fauna
• Encourage new species to colonise the site

The Open Space has been developed to:

• Encourage bat species to inhabit the site by attracting a wide range of insects to provide suitable food sources for the bats. In order to achieve this, the volunteers have, with Council help:
  • Installed bat boxes
  • Developed a new meadow planting to attract night flying insects
  • Established a hedgerow to protect and disguise much of the cemetery wall bordering the north of the Open Space.
• Enhance the perimeter paths and part of the Green Chain Walk by providing or helping establish solid all-weather paths to replace the existing tracks. This facility allows year round and wheel or push chair access to the site.
• Increase the number of wild plants to benefit the wildlife and people who use the Open Space.

This is being supported by annual month-by-month surveys; recording visiting fauna and extending the surveys of resident species.