Biodiversity
We are helping our local natural world flourish
We now have a small sub-group which is exploring ideas for what we could do locally to increase biodiversity and natural habitats in the local area. At the moment we are learning – meeting with others, listening to their views, visiting existing projects to find out more about what activities can help nature thrive.
Some of the ideas we are currently exploring and making happen include:
A community garden: for example a low maintenance forest garden which can be great for biodiversity as well as growing some food for people to help themselves to, and which can be used to learn from. It could also include aspects such as pollinator beds, bee hives, raised beds for children to learn and work with and practical workshops.
Community nature reserve : East Linton already has a huge number of nature-friendly gardeners, so could we between us create a community nature reserve through our gardens, creating a wildlife corridor across the village.
Rewilded areas: for example:
Less regular cutting of grass in specific places that the community is in agreement with such as some verges to enable a greater diversity of plants to grow and for insects to survive
Pro-active planting of native wildflowers in designated areas
Encouraging interaction between the local farming community and the local non-farming community, to exchange views on biodiversity and local food production.
Planting a new wood.
HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
Anyone with an interest in this is very welcome to get involved. We would love to hear from you if:
you would like to get involved in helping with whatever activities get taken forward
you know anything about ecology/farming/wildlife/nature/gardening (or are keen to learn)
you have any organisational or project management skills you’d like to use
you could recommend any spaces in the surrounding area
·you have any contacts of anyone we should chat with
To catch up with what’s happening on Biodiversity, have a look at our News, Events and Projects pages.
WHY DOES THIS MATTER?
“All species are interconnected. They depend on one another. Forests provide homes for animals. Animals eat plants. The plants need healthy soil to grow. Fungi help decompose organisms to fertilize the soil. Bees and other insects carry pollen from one plant to another, which enables the plants to reproduce. With less biodiversity, these connections weaken and sometimes break, harming all the species in the ecosystem.”
- National Geographic
If you are unsure what all this means, please watch this short free TED video clip , which explains things well.
With up to a million species at risk globally, every action counts, and creating more space for nature really matters.
“We are undermining the entire natural infrastructure on which our modern world depends. Nature powers human endeavours…but our economies, livelihoods, food security, health and quality of life worldwide are under threat. We are exploiting nature faster than it can replenish itself….. We cannot solve the threats of huge and man induced climate change and loss of biodiversity in isolation. We either solve both or we solve neither.”
- Robert Watson, The Guardian, May 2019
LINKS
Garden tips for biodiversity
Our own month-by-month calendar of activity to encourage biodiversity in your garden. It’s fun!
Butterfly surveys
We have an interesting article on butterflies and their conservation by Anne Pearson here, which includes great background information and practical things you can all do to help butterflies in our area.
Books
Wilding by Isabella Tree - Please get in touch to borrow
Tapestry lawns by Lionel Smith - Please get in touch to borrow
A journey in landscape restoration, Carrifran wildwood and beyond - by Philip and Myrtle Ashmole for the Borders Forest Trust
Homes for wildlife by the RSPB – an activity pack designed to help people transform their homes and gardens into wildlife havens. Please get in touch to borrow
Organisations and websites
Download your own Pardon the Weeds we are feeding the bees sign
Conservation agriculture in the UK