How to make your garden more wildlife friendly

How to make your garden more wildlife friendly

It has been well documented that many wildlife species are now in serious decline.  Some species are protected which means that developers must follow certain guidelines and in some cases provide alternative habitat.

However, it's not just large development sites where we can encourage wildlife and create habitat for them. By following some of the suggestions below, you can encourage wildlife into your land or garden.

Make a compost heap

This is probably the easiest and cheapest way to attract wildlife to your garden, such as wood mice, hedgehogs, and reptiles including slow worms.  A compost heap can be made using vegetation such as grass mowings, plant material, and old vegetable peelings.  Take care not to put meat, or anything which has been cooked on the compost heap, because it will encourage rats.

The compost heap can provide shelter for many species, and once the matter has rotted, it forms compost which can be spread on the soil in your garden to enrich it.

Create a pond

Creating a pond can introduce many new species to your garden. Even a small pond can encourage wildlife like frogs, newts and other amphibians, as well as providing a drinking and bathing place for birds, badgers and foxes.  More complex shaped ponds are better for wildlife, especially if they have variations in depths.  Clean water or rainwater should be used, and some shaded areas from trees and plants can be beneficial.

Make a woodpile

Woodpiles are another way of providing habitat and shelter for many species, like newts, reptiles and hedgehogs.  Birds feed on the insects that the old wood attracts.  Just pile up logs and branches from fallen trees in a safe and partly sunny place.

Plant a tree

Trees are crucial to the environment in many ways, but by planting just one tree, you can encourage many species of wildlife, especially birds and bats.  Different species of trees attract different species of wildlife: for example, the acorns that the oak tree produces will attract squirrels, and jays in particular.

Install bird and bat boxes

Planting trees will encourage birds and bats to your garden, but purchasing (or building) a bird or bat box wil provide a secure environment for many species of bird and bat.  Different species require different types of boxes, so their size, and the size of the entrance hole, will affect what species will use the box.  The wood should be untreated as some preservatives can harm bats, and all boxes must be positioned high enough up to deter predators.

Build a rockery

Frogs, toads and newts are often found underneath and between the stones of rockeries.  The rocks provide shelter for these species, and by planting in between the rocks, other wildlife can be encouraged too, such as butterflies and flora.

Make a meadow

The vast majority of our wildflower meadows have disappeared in recent years due to intensive cropping and feeding, so the introduction of a meadow, or even a mini-meadow, can be a very beneficial addition to your land or garden.  Sowing nectar-rich flower seeds is the best way to encourage wildlife including bees and butterflies, as well as many other insects which will in turn encourage birds.  If you don't have the space for even a mini-meadow, just planting pollen and nectar-rich flowers in a border or planter will encourage bees and butterflies.

Plant a hedge

Hedges provide excellent habitat for many species, especially dormice, birds, voles and hedgehogs.  They also provide safe passage for species which don't like to move across open spaces, such as dormice.  Ideally the type of hedge you choose should be native to the area you live in.  Hedge mixes can be bought which attract a wide variety of wildlife.

Native plants

It is generally best to use native plant species because they are already suited to the local environment, so therefore need less work to keep them alive and thriving.  Because they will be more robust, it will reduce the need to use chemicals and pesticides, which can harm wildlife.  Most wildlife prefer plants and fauna found within their natural ecosystem. The use of native plants also reduces the risk of harmful invasive species, which can reduce the spread of diseases such as Dutch Elm Disease.

Don't use pesticides and fertilizers

Using chemicals to control weeds and pests in your garden can also harm wildlife.  It is far better to use organic methods of pest control, such as planting certain plants and herbs which pests don't like.  Many herbs also attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.  It is also possible to buy organic pesticides that do not contain harmful chemicals.

Be patient!

If you have followed any of the methods above, it is best to avoid getting too close afterwards as you could disturb the wildlife that you have managed to attract.  Using a remote camera is a good way of observing what is happening without disturbing any wildlife.

Some wildlife features will attract wildlife very quickly, but some can take longer, such as bird and bat boxes, log piles and compost heaps, however these methods should eventually result in more wildlife visiting your garden over time.

 

 

 

 

 

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