Natural environment

Our natural environment and its biodiversity is extremely important to ensuring a healthy planet. We work hard to protect and restore our natural environment.

Hedgehog Champions

Can you be a Hedgehog Champion? In the last 20 years in rural areas like ours, almost 50% of these wonderful little creatures have been lost. This is mostly due to loss of habitat. Many houses built today are enclosed with garden fences, so hedgehogs cannot roam freely to find food. We are raising awareness of what we can all do to support our hedgehogs, and would guide you to the following websites for more information: The British Hedgehog Society; Hedgehog Street; Brockworth Hedgehog Rescue.

Tree Planting

In 2020, Fownhope planted over 7000 trees, courtesy of The Woodland Trust and National Tree Planting Day, an amazing achievement and community commitment. 

In 2021, Herefordshire Council have announced funding for a tree planting project involving young people under the age of 21. 

Are you, or do you know of anyone who would be interested in getting involved?  If so, please do get in touch as in 2022 we’d love to see even more trees planted in Fownhope and get involved working collaboratively with our parishioners.

Common Hill Nature Reserve

Herefordshire Wildlife Trust are seeking help to extend one if its oldest nature reserves at Common Hill, by purchasing and restoring the adjoining 2-3 acre grassland that is currently on the market for sale.  The land is held in trust in perpetuity and is open to members of the public.  If you would like to get involved, please get in touch and we will let you know how.

Find out more about your local environment using the interactive maps below

The "Magic Map"  website provides authoritative geographic information about the natural environment presented as an interactive map. Natural England manages this service under the direction of a cross-government Steering Group and on behalf of Defra who is the custodian.

Though the Map is infinitely searchable it can also be quite complex to work with, and Martin Hales has kindly produced the links below relating directly to Fownhope Parish - which should make local searches a great deal easier to manage. Over time some of these links may no longer work. If you find any of them have broken please contact us.

• OS colour map

• Aerial photography map

• Background map

• Undetermined priority Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) grassland habitat

• Ancient and Semi-Natural Woodland (ASNW) and Plantation on Ancient Woodland Site (PAWS)

• Traditional orchard BAP priority habitat

• Forestry Commission owned land

• Deciduous Woodland BAP priority habitat

• National inventory of woods and trees

• Land in agri-environment schemes

• National Trust properties

• Woodland with current English Woodland Grant Scheme 

• Woodland with felling licence agreements

• Woodland still under previous Woodland Grant Schemes

• Land use survey based on Dudley Map series 1933-1949

• Land registered under Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000

• Registered Common Land

• Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) boundary

• Nitrate vulnerable zone

• Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

• Special areas of Conservation SAC

• Scheduled monuments

• Listed buildings

• Areas designated by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, defined by 1991 wards, as eligible for Objective 2 status under the European Regional Development Fund.

• Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative 2011-2014: target grant scheme areas

• Catchment Sensitive Farming Delivery Initiative 2011-2014: Priority Catchments (England)

Do get in touch if you would like to join the working group or would like any further information on any of the above.