Thurston Parish Council's commitment to Biodiversity

Biodiversity for Thurston -

Biodiversity is the variety of plant and animal life, fungi and micro-organisms in the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of which is usually considered to be important and desirable. It is vital that we all try to protect and strengthen plant life and local wildlife to conserve and safeguard our biodiversity and enhance it wherever we can.

Biodiversity Action Plan -

Based on the results of a Biodiversity Audit carried out by Suffolk Wildlife Trust Wilder Ecology together with other information gathering and discussions, suitable actions have been developed that will improve the biodiversity interest of the parish. Our Action Plan is focused on providing a connected space for wildlife across the parish. Some of the actions identified are already underway; others are potential projects, while others are aspirational and represent ideal actions given sufficient resources and time.  

Join in with our Bird Box project -

Personalise a bird, bee, bat or swift box at the Biodiversity Open Day on 18^th July 2026. Choose where you would like it to be installed and then keep watch on it and report back on any visitors that might move in.

Wildflowers and planting -

As part of our commitment to enhancing biodiversity in the village and to better support our wildlife and plant life we have planted native bulbs and have identified a couple of new areas where we will trial changing the mowing regime this season to encourage wildflowers and grass to grow. A small triangle on New Green Open Space and another at Heath Road Play Area.

When we let the grass grow naturally, we are able to see which flowers might appear. They then provide food for many insects, including bees and butterflies and we give wildlife a home amongst the longer grass.

Other benefits include:

• Longer grass holds back rainwater and helps stop the ground drying out quickly in warm weather, as it stays cooler than short grass.
• We will continue to cut these areas in early Spring - at the start of the mowing season, before most flowers appear and they will then be left until the end of the Summer, when we will cut and clear them again. This helps to control the grass and encourage the flowers to flourish.
• In between cuts we will monitor what grows and we can add suitable native wildflower seed and plugs to benefit wildlife and help make areas look more interesting if needed.
• Long grass is much better for wildlife than short grass
• Weeds are just plants that are growing in the wrong place and are actually mostly native wildflowers so we will welcome dandelions, daisies and buttercups they are great for wildlife - and perfect for a wildflower meadow.
• The wildflowers can make open spaces more attractive and interesting.

New Green Wildlife Garden Project -

The aim of the wildlife garden is to provide a quiet space to contemplate, pass though or stay a while. A haven for wildlife and a peaceful sensory place for visitors. New seating, an information lectern, bird boxes and bee homes have enhanced the garden and encourage people to spend time there, with a book or just to listen to the birds and insects.

As time goes on following the decision to leave the garden to see what comes up it is becoming clear that some planting might be needed to enhance the sandy areas but you can spot;

• lots of Ox Eye daisy and various Yellow Hawkbit. 
• Poppy, Purple Vetch, and Plantain,
• Scarlet Pimpernel, Ragwort, Bind weed, Black Medic and White Campion,
• various grasses including Rye grass, Cocks Foot grass, Yorkshie Fog, Brome, False Oat, Crested Dog Tail.
• Bistort and Buttercup. 

In other  areas there is White clover, Jack by the Hedge, Yarrow, and Red Campion to be found and the attractive wild Carrot. 

Also spotted a web making caterpillar on the spindel trees just outside the wildlife garden.  Its thought this maybe an Ermine moth caterpillar but there are other moths that use other shrubs/small trees in this way. 

Its well worth taking a stroll to see for yourself.