How Does a property Developer Help Wildlife? By bringing back the biodiversity
How much better if the Developer invites his clients to share that wildlife within their own garden. A small bespoke corner where wildlife can once again flourish, and families can enjoy. We see Your Wildlife Patch as an opportunity for Property Developers to put something uniquely important back to the developed site. Wildlife, ecology and biodiversity are the common buzzwords of today, never more so. Their importance is more widely acknowledged than ever.
Your Wildlife Patch is extremely affordable and can be enjoyed for years with almost no maintenance, great incentives for you and your buyers.
By now, most property developers will be familiar with BNG, Biodiversity Net Gain. This is planning condition designed to oblige property developers to replace biodiversity lost through property development. Not only replaced but increased by a further 10%.
BNG cannot take place within the curtilage of a property because it is subject to a 30 year maintenance plan. Consequently BNG schemes should take place somewhere within the development site, on adjacent land, or on sites many miles away, specifically acquired by investors for this purpose.
Whilst BNG may improve biodiversity, it is of no benefit to local wildlife or of the owner of a recently bought home. The removal of local biodiversity will deny the homeowner the opportunity to enjoy local wildlife on his/ her own doorstep. The wild creatures that called it home are now long gone.
Added incentives
Provide each home one year’s free membership to the local Wildlife Trust, for ongoing support and information.
Set up a dedicated Facebook page for homeowners to share their exciting wildlife discoveries with other like minded neighbours. What a great way to get to know people .
Contact us for any help and advice.
These are the things you'll need to restore wildlife, and make a wonderful connection with your homebuyers
In addition you might consider swift bricks, natural hedging and ivy to the boundary fence. Rainwater harvester and bio-composter
Wildlife Pond
When I was a boy, I used to fish ponds. I lived in a bungalow, so at 4.00 am on any morning in the summer, before dawn, I’d slip out of my bedroom window and walk to a farm pond, just 15 mins down the road. In those days I had around 5 ponds I used to fish. For a small boy, it really was magical. I’d come home at 7.30 then go to school
These days many farm ponds are filled in, 75% have been lost in the last 100 years. When you come across one it’s a thrill.
Like us, all wildlife needs water. It’s estimated that 66% of the UK’s plants and animals can be found in ponds. That’s how vital they are.
So, a pond creates an Oasis
It doesn’t need to be big, maybe 1m x 0.8m,
It’s important that it has either a shallow area , or a means of escape for a small animal that might slip in whilst taking a drink. Place large rocks and pebbles in the deeper end to reduce the depth.
You can buy one online for around £40.00, preformed and easy to install.
You have a pond, you have an oasis. In one step you have provided a vital facility for all wildlife. For ever
Your own Wildflower Meadow
Sounds grand for a small garden it’s true, but this can be your crowning glory, and all within an overall 3m x 4m patch. All year round colour is almost possible using wild bulbs but for spring and summer simplicity your homebuyer can wander around with a wildflower book, or phone App, and put a name to the flowers. It’s great fun for families/grandchildren too.
Wildflowers truly are wonderful. And dead easy to grow
They are magical because sometimes you never really know whether you planted the seeds, or the wild wind just blew them in. They come looking on the wind, find your patch with wonderful colours and scents.
Trees and Shrubs
There to share the spoils of your wonderful patch with the creatures that visit.
A fruit tree will provide wildlife shelter in the summer, and protection from dodgy predators. Somewhere for birds and insects to perch and take the airs, people- watching wildlife style. They’ll also provide you with some luscious fruit in time. Rotting fruit is a real attraction for butterflies and moths.
For Bees, Butterflies and Moths, nothing beats Buddleia and Lavendar, two inexpesive shrubs that bring a big smile.
You might not believe this next bit, but……for me the most important, and easiest plant to grow for wildlife, is Ivy.
Ivy is evergreen so offers all year protection for just about everything. Better than that, it’s berries provide food in the Autumn and winter months.
Bees love Ivy. Wrens love Ivy too, and in time might well nest in it. As a boy I would find their nests in Ivy, ball shaped with an access hole in the side. The family nest would be lined with down, the male sleeps separately with no down .Sorry if that reminds you of anything….
Grow it up a wall or fence, any aspect will do, it’s cheap and rampant.
Natural hedging…./so much has been removed from the UK, what an opportunity to bring it back.
Hedging provides shelter, food and nesting opportunities for birds, hedgehogs and insects.
Bird Nesting Boxes
Easily erected, these provide perfect spaces for birds to expand their families. Attracted to the other wonderful facilities, birds will naturally want to live and breed where life is easy. Great Tits and Blue Tits will be particularly impressed with these tailor-made homes. For added enjoyment small wireless cameras can be installed by the homeowner, the family can watch the small brood develop from eggs, to chicks being fed, then to fledglings, in full colour from the comfort of their own home.
Ultimately the adult birds will stay around, providing the bird feeders are maintained.
Where to Buy
There’s a whole host of places to buy most of the bits you’ll need for a wonderful wildlife garden.
Try to shop locally if you can.
Garden Centres are a great place to start, and should stock most of what you need, including trees, shrubs and pond plants .Vanstone Park Garden Centre near Welwyn Garden Centre can supply everything listed on this site, and free delivery within 20 miles
Your local Hardware shop usually caters for wildlife needs whilst
B and Q will also supply lots of what you want.
On-line, you could try Ark Wildlife.co.uk, for a great choice of everything apart from plants and trees.
Wherever you decide to buy your wildlife pond , make sure it has easy access and exit for wild creatures. Hedgehogs can be particularly vulnerable, as can Newts and Frogs so look for a pond with a shallow end. Bermuda Sand from Amazon claims to do this, and will be just the right size for your wildlife patch.
Finally, you might like to consider.
Attached to a roof rainwater downpipe, these tightly sented water storage containers can provide soft rainwater most of the year round, which may be stored if not used. Ideal for topping up the small pond, birdbath, and watering household plants.
Organic Composter
These great containers allow the homeowner to collect and storegarden and household waste throughout the year. Why pay the Council extra to collect it when it can be broken down and spread around the garden. Great for garden plants and home grown vegetables.
Last but by no means least…
Remember to cut a small hole in the bottom of the fence near the wildlife patch. About 20cm high by 15cm wide. This allows small mammals to migrate through the neighbourhood, stopping off to eat slugs and insects in your garden, and grab a much needed drink in the warmer weather.
Ongoing Wildlife support by the local experts.
For a very reasonable subscription, your clients can receive support and ongoing advice and information from your local Wildlife Trust.
Brilliant free information leaflets on most aspects of your local wildlife are available as a pack, a really excellent launching pad for your clients to learn about and enjoy their new garden friends.
Just google Wildlife Trust for your local branch.
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