House builder calls on residents to help with nature conservation

LOCAL housebuilder Barratt Homes West Midlands and the RSPB are calling for homeowners to give their garden a mini-makeover for nature. Not only are gardens a vital lifeline in the colder months, but now is also a great time to plan and prep for the warmer seasons next year.

To help give homeowners advice on how best to give nature a home in gardens, balconies, and even windows, the RSPB has produced a handy new guide to getting started, packed with simple, low-cost hints and tips on how to make a space great for people and nature too.

It gives lots of advice on planning the perfect outdoor space, including how to get it buzzing with wildlife. Winter is a great time of year to get planning and digging so that when spring comes next year, homeowners will have a fantastic space to enjoy whilst also providing a haven for wildlife.

The RSPB is asking for homeowners to share their mini makeover stories and experiences using the hashtag #Naturegardenchallenge, on social media, the new Facebook Group, and the online community. There are also four new mini makeover films on the website from the RSPB wildlife and gardening expert Adrian Thomas: www.rspb.org.uk/yourdoorstep.

Sadly, nature in the UK is in trouble, having lost 38 million birds over the last 50 years, with house sparrows, starlings and song thrushes all considered birds of conservation concern.

Together with a 76% decline in butterflies and the loss of a third of urban hedgehogs since 2000, wildlife really needs a helping hand.

The RSPB and Barratt Homes have been working together since 2014 to show how new homes can help nature and support wildlife.

This support has allowed the RSPB to breathe new life into its wildlife-friendly gardening work through the creation of Nature on Your Doorstep.