Our Disappearing Nature Walk – Astbury
Hello to all nature enthusiasts!
As part of the Our Disappearing Nature project, we are launching a new series of walks to help build a database of the wild plants growing in Congleton today.
Our goal is to record current biodiversity and compare it with a historical dataset from 1915, allowing us to understand how the local environment has changed over the past 110 years — which species have disappeared, which have appeared, and what factors have contributed to these changes.
During the City Nature Challenge, held from 25 to 28 April, we already managed to document 226 plant species. However, the original 1915 survey recorded 461 species, so there’s still plenty of work to be done!
These events are not guided walks in the traditional sense — they are data-gathering walks — but the good news is that Jack Swan, a renowned naturalist and botanist, will be joining us.
Jack will help lead the walk, assist with data collection, and share fascinating insights along the way.
Our first walk will take place on 24 May, starting at 1:00 pm. We will explore the area around Astbury, beginning from Astbury Village Hall.
The walk is completely free, but we do ask that you register in advance so that we know how many participants to expect.
Come along, enjoy some time in nature, and contribute to a unique project documenting Congleton’s biodiversity!