Elizabeth Hardcastle of the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust explains how churchyards can be a sanctuary for the living as well as the dead

Churchyards in Yorkshire are being transformed into colourful wildlife havens supporting a huge variety of life. They are being managed in ways that are sympathetic to our native wildlife whilst at the same time keeping faith with the fact that they are sacred places, places of reflection where we remember our departed families and friends.

April brings the sixth anniversary of the death of Nick Gordon, the natural history film maker. Nick was born in London but as a small child moved with his family to Blackpool and came to regard himself as very much a Lancastrian. Nick was a remarkable man, a self taught photographer whose passion for filming the natural world drove him to make the Amazon rainforest his home for more than a decade.

It was in South America and Africa that Nick made extraordinary wildlife documentaries that gave viewers the chance to see animal behaviour that had never been seen before. The zenith of his achievement is probably the one hour film, Jaguar: Eater of Souls, that revealed the life cycle of this beautiful, deadly and highly elusive predator. The film took seven years to make and at great risk - Antoinetta, Nick's Brazilian assistant who would become his second wife, was badly wounded when a jaguar bit and clamped on to her leg.

A Living Landscape
Jon Traill reveals a ‘hidden’ wildlife haven as he continues our exploration of the natural world in association with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust

SITTING next to a crystal clear stream on a sunny morning a dragonfly cruises past and brown trout surface, causing tell-tale ripples in the water. A short distance away a loud ‘plop’ is heard as something lands in the water. A plump stubby water vole then paddles furiously against the current and climbs out on the grassy bank. After cleaning itself it then begins to nibble at the grasses and other waterside plants, stopping occasionally to check for signs of danger. A flashing dart of aquamarine sees a kingfisher whizz by to end a peaceful, wildlife packed morning. Is this a fictional scene or a description of a bygone era? It may well be, but it also describes a typical day in the life of a hidden and often overlooked area of East Yorkshire.