UK Biodiversity is still declining - but we can all help change that







A report just published by the UK Government's own Environmental Audit Committee confirms that the UK is now one of the most nature-depleted countries in a world where a million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction. A  'toothless Government policy and insufficient targets to stem the tide of biodiversity loss' mean the UK has the worst nature record amongst all G7 countries. The ambition may be there, but a poorly-mixed cocktail of ambitious targets, superficial strategies, funding cuts and lack of expertise is severely limiting any tangible progress. There will be a new opportunity to challenge this when a strengthened CEE (Climate and Emergency Bill) gets its Second Reading in September with the cross party support of over 100 MPs. We should take every opportunity to lobby our MPs give it their support.

So what can we do personally to help improve wildlife?  Well we've made a good start - just look at the earlier postings on this blog; we have distributed wildflower seeds to our school children and many residents, and encouraged them to leave a space for wildlife in their gardens. In the last blog we looked at the impressive displays of wildflowers in some of the public open space in Oak Grange. What about our own gardens?

Based on the success of our modest 2m X 1.5m 'mini-meadow (lower image, bottom right),
we decided to allocate a much larger part of our large garden to wildflowers; the area was taken back to bare soil and but could not be planted until early May 2020 as the ground was waterlogged. The large photo below shows the result earlier this month - just over a year later. We also left a further large area unmown, and this is currently alive with tiny frogs and important cover for the young ducklings (lower image bottom left).


Despite the unpredictable weather and low temperatures, there is clear evidence of more wildlife on site. We have had wagtails nesting in the porch and swallows nesting in the open garage for the first time (see below), as well as robins, blue tits and and great tits using the nest boxes. This is only the second year we have seen grasshoppers in a decade. A mallard has nested in thick vegetation and matched 7 healthy ducklings which have found their way to the pond. Most of the insect hotels were full (at least they were until the woodpecker discovered them); I've now had to add a wire cage.


All this is tangible evidence that making or leaving areas wild does encourage wildlife, especially insects, which form the basis of many food chains. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have more than half an acre but many of us could still leave a small part of the garden for nature to recover. Some of you may have supported Plantlife's 'No Mow May'; if you did why not send us some photos of what you have been able to achieve on your patch. And if you didn't manage it this year, think about doing so in 2022.



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