Enjoyment of the countryside, the landscape and the plants and animals that live there are all factors of great interest to many visitors. Businesses should take active measures to preserve, conserve and enhance their habitats, aiming to increase diversity and attract more wildlife. This in turn will attract guests who are care about the environment they are visiting. It is also important to be aware of your impact on the habitat and where possible reduce any intrusion on your surroundings.
Leave a 'wild' area in your garden: Leaving an area of longer, uncut grass, fallen leaves and branches in your garden encourages local wildlife to thrive, such as Birds, hedgehogs and Ladybirds. Wildlife like this has the addded benefit of of feeding on the worst of garden pests, such as slugs and aphids. Birdboxes also encourages birds to nest in your garden. Leaving logs out also encourages insects which help keep your garden healthy.
Install a pond: Installing a pond in your garden provides a stable mirco ecosystem in which fish, frogs and insects can thrive, contributing to the diversity of the wildlife in the garden. Leaving your waterbutt open also provides a place for birds and wildlife to drink.
Reintroduce native species: Planting native plants in your garden and encouraging local native wildlife in your garden keeps the balance of local ecosytems healthy and helps prevent invasive species from thriving.
Plant a tree or hedge: You don't always need lots of space in a garden to plant a tree, and they provide valuable food and shelter for a wide variety of wildlife from birds to insects. Hedges are also beneficial for local wildlife, such as hedgehogs and weasels. The Energy Saving Trust recommends choosing "a mixture of native hedge species, like holly, blackthorn, guelder rose and field maple to attract a wide range of insects." You can sponor planting trees through The Woodland Trust.
Avoid using pesticides on your garden: While designed to kill pests and weeds, pesticides also adversely affect and discourage wildlife from naturally flourishing in your garden, so if encouraging wildlife it is best to avoid using chemical wherever possible.
Recycle and compost organic waste: Most household food and garden waste can be recycled through composting to feed the soil. Composting waste in a compost bin in this way provides free, sustainable and year round fertilizer. For a comprehensive guide of what household and garden waste is suitable for composting, see Recyclenow.com's guide here
Reuse rainwater: Installing a water butt in your garden to collect rainwater is a free and sustainable way of harnessing rainwater for garden use, saving water and money on water bills. Old washing water can also be used in the garden, but make sure there are no chemicals from detergents etc that may harm the plants and animals.
Grow your own vegetables and fruit: Organic gardening is sustainable in many ways. It means food with a higher nutient content for you, money savings on food bills, no packaging and plastic, and reduces the carbon footprint of the food you eat. For a comprehensive guide to getting started with your own organic food allotment, see The Royal Horticultural Society's guide here (for UK residents).
Landshare: Landshare's aim is to link people looking for spare garden space for growing vegetables etc, with people who have some garden space to spare, and to share. This can be a mutually beneifial arrangement, and can help garden spaces thrive for both owners and wildlife.
(Information sourced from Energy Saving Trust UK, DirectGov.co.uk and Responsibletravel.com)
