Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust encouraging residents to embrace local wildlife
Talks are being held to show people how they can promote wildlife
Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust are holding talks through the week to encourage residents to embrace wildlife.
Locals are being encouraged to make efforts to support local wildlife in ourdoor spaces.
From prickly predators (also known as hedgehogs) to prolific pollinators including bees, birds and butterflies, given a little help, they can all thrive in our gardens and outdoor spaces and are important in maintaining balance and continuity in our natural world.
A series of free online talks on how to welcome wildlife into their own outdoor spaces are being held.
The talks are being hosted by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) and form part of the Wild Aylesbury Vale project being run by a group of six Buckinghamshire Council community boards.
The Wild Aylesbury Vale project is a partnership between the boards and BBOWT, Chiltern Rangers and the mental health charity, Lindengate.
Over the course of four weeks, residents in the community board areas of: Aylesbury, Wendover & Villages, Haddenham & Waddesdon, Wing & Ivinghoe, Winslow & Villages and Buckingham & Villages can find out all about the types of animals and insects that can thrive in gardens and both urban and rural green spaces and how to encourage them through planting, growing and nurturing these areas.
Talks will take place via Zoom with participants able to ask questions and advice from the experts at BBOWT.
The talks will cover:
- Introduction to Wildlife Gardening- An overview of why gardening for wildlife is important and how you can make your garden or outdoor space more wildlife friendly.
- Hedgehogs- Find out more about everyone's favourite prickly predator!
- Pollinators- Pollinators are a vital part of our wildlife but they need our help. Find out more about why pollinators are important and how you can help them.
- Ponds- Find out more about creating a pond for wildlife in your garden.
Although open to anyone to attend, the talks have been arranged as part of the** Wild Aylesbury Vale Project competition** which was launched last month.
The competition is open to individuals as well as schools, parish and town councils and community groups.
Entrants are asked to design and create a wildlife habitat around the three core elements needed to sustain wildlife: water, food and shelter. Entries can be as small as a window box or container to a larger green space or garden.
Ed Turpin, Community Wildlife Officer at BBOWT said:
"Gardens now many a bigger area than all of the nature reserves, so if we can get people out in their spaces it can make a really big difference.
"There is loads of things that people can do to support wildlife in their garden and outdoor space.
"They're not radical changes too, if you think about the three things wildlife need its food, water and shelter.
"So birds feeders, a dish of water things like that can promote wildlife but also moving away from using harsh chemicals.
"This is a great opportunity for people to gain advice and tips on how to create their own wildlife haven.
"Our team of experts here at Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust really know their stuff and can answer questions and give helpful advice on all manner of topics.
"We can't wait to share our knowledge with local people through this programme of talks."
More information on the talks and competition can be found on the** Bucks Council website.**