Wildlife activities
Rectory Lane Cemetery is Berkhamsted’s hidden nature haven. We have an ongoing programme of activities to involve community groups in creating and enhancing habitats for wildlife. Local schoolchildren, Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, our friends from the Chiltern Society and our own volunteers have all been involved in projects to encourage insect life, birds and animals. We even have our own bees – it is literally a hive of activity!
If you want to bring a group into the Cemetery for a wildlife activity, get in touch!
Great Big Nature Hunt
28 September 2024
To tie in with Berkhamsted’s Great Big Green Week in summer, we host our Great Big Nature Hunt in Rectory Lane Cemetery. Families with children of all ages enjoy a wonderful morning of discovery, learning about our trees and wildflowers and about everything living in our grasses, ponds, flowerbeds and on our gravestones. We have interactive resources to help with identification and guides on hand to share their knowledge.
Bug City
11 September 2019
The 1st Berkhamsted Cubs and Beavers came to Rectory Lane Cemetery and created more wildlife and insect habitats, including a Bug City! They also showed how much they knew about bees as they chatted to our bee keeper.
Big Garden Birdwatch
7 September 2019
We keep our bird feeders topped up and hold family Big Garden Birdwatches, reporting back our sightings to the RSPB, with the help of our knowledgeable volunteer ornithologist.
Beekeeping
7 September 2019
Our volunteer beekeeper maintains two hives at the top of the cemetery – a fascinating learning opportunity for visiting children – and produces delicious Rectory Lane Cemetery honey, which we sell. We hold annual Bonkers about Bees events where we bring together beekeepers, enthusiasts and wild bee experts.
Beetle and Bug Hotel
7 September 2019
The Beetle and Bug Hotel created by Chiltern Society Volunteers and opened by MG Leonard, author of the Beetle Boy series of children’s books at the 2019 BerkoFest Book Festival.
Bat walks
7 September 2019
We conduct bat walks with the help of Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust volunteers. We have identified the signals of the Common Noctule, the Common Pipistrelle and Natterer’s bats.
Family birdbox building
7 September 2019
Birdboxes made at our Family Birdbox Building events with 1st Berkhamsted Scouts – and now regularly inhabited.
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Military graves