Over the last few weeks, the news about nature has been pretty grim. Between the State of Nature report which showed that 60% of species in the UK is declining and the news that the new Planning Bill that is progressing through Stormont may offer less protection for nature, you’d be forgiven for feeling a bit hopeless that we can do anything to stop nature disappearing altogether. Some of our most familiar and loved species are disappearing at alarming rates – hedgehogs, butterflies, bees, birds – they’re all in danger.
But there’s always something you can do. No matter how small it is, you can help give nature a home here in Northern Ireland, which is where our new campaign comes in. “Giving Nature a Home” is all about inspiring people to make some space for nature wherever they can. It doesn’t matter what size of garden you have, or if you have a garden at all (you might be like me and have to make do with a concrete yard), you can take small steps to encourage life into your space.
So what exactly can you do? You can start small and put out a bird feeder to give your garden birds a source of food in the winter months. You might want to put up a nest box or two to give them shelter and safety to lay their eggs. You can plant beautiful flowering plants that will attract bees with their nectar (and don’t forget that bees won’t sting unless they’re provoked!) and butterflies as well.
We’ve come up with lots of things you can do on our website. You can even get tailored advice based on what type of garden or space you have. We’re asking everyone to pledge to some something, anything for nature. It really will make a difference. Please visit rspb.org.uk/homes and take a look.
The simple truth is that if there are no homes for nature, there’s no nature. I don’t know about you, but I find the thought of living in a world where I can’t hear birds or smell flowers a tough one to take. So in my yard, I’m starting to give nature a home myself. I have made a pledge on the RSPB website to start putting food out for the birds and to start growing some flowering plants in pots. It won’t take me very long to do, and the result will be that even in my totally urban concrete space, nature will have the chance to thrive.
The great thing about giving nature a home in your own patch is that not only will you be playing your part in saving nature, you get to enjoy it, and who doesn’t like a win-win?