Save some precious water for our wildlife

WHILST it is raining lightly as I write this, the recent, record-breaking temperatures have definitely reinforced the message that our weather and climate have changed.

That change is likely to continue in the short to medium term, with even higher temperatures predicted and more extremes of weather, including periods of heavier rainfall.

Unfortunately, when our rain falls in deluges rather than a steady trickle, much of it goes to waste – especially in our towns and cities where pavements and other hard standing channel the precious water into the drainage system and then all too often into storm drains and on to our rivers and streams – with little opportunity for our natural aquifers and artificial reservoirs to be topped up.

The result is a double whammy – hot temperatures driving increased demand for water and lower than necessary supply – increasing the likelihood of shortages.

When the weather is more clement, it can be easy to bat away calls for us all to be more water wise and to follow advice such as taking showers instead of baths, taking shorter showers, and collecting rainwater for use in the garden.

However, when it is too hot to step outside and you see pictures of half empty reservoirs on the TV with weeks of the summer still remaining, we would all do well to think more carefully before wasting such a precious resource.

I swapped baths for showers long ago – except for the occasional soak as a treat after a long day at the allotment.

I have two water butts which I use whenever I can to water my plants.

I try to avoid leaving taps running and use my hosepipe sparingly, but the recent heatwave suggests I need to do more.

This year I’ve made a conscious effort to move my much loved plants into larger tubs and containers to reduce the frequency with which they need watering (when it’s not 30 degrees plus!).

Having not had any water in the butts for weeks, it’s clearly time for me to expand my collection capacity with more or larger containers, and I may need to get used to moving tubs and pots into the shade during hot spells.

Indoors, I am considering a small dishwasher as there is a case, when used efficiently, that they save on both water and energy.

As well as using water more frugally, I need to do more to ensure birds and other wildlife have access to water year-round.

In addition to a small bird bath and a couple of ‘mini ponds’ above ground, I resorted to filling a large shallow tray with water during the fiercest heat, but that evaporated within the space of three days.

I think the time has come to create a small pond in the more shaded part of the garden to give more creatures access and to help provide continuity of supply.

Providing access to water is the single most important step you can take to help wildlife in your garden, whether via a simple bird bath or mini pond in a small garden or a larger wildlife pond with space for mammals such as foxes and hedgehogs to drink or where space allows, room for bats and birds such as swifts and swallows to hunt insects.

As well as directly helping species that might otherwise struggle to find water, your efforts are likely to be rewarded with increased opportunities to view wildlife at close quarters, from frogs floating contentedly at the surface of a pond or young sparrows taking their first dip making it doubly worthwhile. If you do take action for wildlife by creating a pond or adding a bird bath, don’t forget to plot it in our new digital map to help us show how people are coming together to create a greener, wilder Nottinghamshire. nottinghamshirewildlife.org/ map-your-action