The built environment (including private gardens)

Houses, commercial buildings, the road network and derelict land can all have a lot to offer wildlife. Bats, many bird species and numerous wildflower species are able to capitalise on the niches created within built structures and their immediate surroundings.

It is well known that bats will roost in roof spaces and under the eaves of domestic houses, and many species of birds enjoy greater breeding success when their food supply is supplemented by the efforts of people who feed them. In these days of agricultural intensification, road verges may be strongholds of plants that have shown declines in meadows and pastures. Grass that isn’t mown every year tends to have higher populations of small mammals which is why kestrels are often seen hovering near motorways and other trunk roads, scanning the ground for voles or other prey.

‘Waste’ ground is often anything but waste when it comes to wildlife. The combination of low fertility, unstable substrates and unusually high or low pH often found on these sites leads to colonisation by specialist plants not always abundant elsewhere. As these plants are specially adapted for colonising they have evolved to produce vast numbers of seed which provide important food sources for finches and other birds. They also support healthy populations of invertebrates which benefit the non seed eating bird species. Although there is usually pressure to develop or ‘tidy up’ these sites, their qualities can be replicated in associated landscaping schemes and make a refreshing alternative to turf and ornamental trees.

Domestic gardens, when viewed as a whole, make up an enormous area and make a significant contribution to the amount of land that can be managed for the benefit of wildlife. There is a vast amount of information concerning wildlife gardening on the internet, and a good starting place is The BBC wildlife gardening page. Although suburban gardens may not be associated with the most important species from a conservation perspective, those which have shown serious declines in recent years or are very vulnerable to loss of habitat such as badgers, bats and great crested newts can all be found in gardens around the country. Bird numbers can easily be boosted by feeding all year round, and advice on this is available here.