WILDER GARDENS – a sub-project of Wilder Wenhaston

Introduction

Creating a wildlife friendly garden, or area within a garden, to provide habitats for wildlife and the plants that support them, is important to maintain biodiversity in our local landscape. Even small changes can be effective in enhancing the garden to support wildlife and can help to create wildlife corridors throughout the village improving feeding opportunities and habitat for birds, insects, and mammals (aka Birds, Bugs, and Beasts). Providing examples through an open ‘wild’ garden scheme and ‘wilding/wildlife habitat’ advisory service is an important way of demonstrating how villagers can make a difference. An essential part of the project includes encouraging the creation of new or management of existing garden ponds for wildlife.

Brief description

To encourage villagers to restore, manage or create new wildlife areas in gardens within the parish of Wenhaston. So much of our wildlife is in decline including familiar species such as hedgehogs, frogs, and toads, we can help people restore the wildlife on their doorstep.

Purpose/aims

  • To provide information and support villagers to improve their gardens for wildlife
  • Encourage the creation and maintenance of garden ponds for wildlife.
  • In time, incorporate other aligned (corridor) areas: e.g. Village school, Churchyard, Village Hall, Verges, field bank opposite The Star.
  • Incorporate pre-existing preparatory work/aims/objectives outlined in WALGA & Parish Environmental Plan documents

Work identified to promote project goals

  • Create, circulate a simple survey/questionnaire to establish baseline status of wildlife gardens/interest in development
  • Collate responses and circulate findings back to participating individuals & generally via Warbler/Village Website
  • Record existing gardens for wildlife and where new areas/corridors are established
  • Encourage wildlife corridors connecting neighbouring gardens/areas
  • ID Hosts for open ‘wildlife’ gardens day/safari event & set date (2023)
  • Consider holding wildlife garden workshop/s if interest identified.
  • Provide opportunities to advise planting choices to promote, establish and maintain wildlife habitats e.g creating a ‘wildflower’ area within a more formal garden
  • Creatively engage new interest across village in the project aims, scope & activities
  • ID need/interest in Garden wildlife pond advice (Linked project)
  • Investigate if help is needed to achieve our aims, where volunteers might assist and funding available.
  • Report all subgroup proposals/activity through WW Steering Group

Output

  • We aim to engage with households across the whole parish boundary & establish a current baseline of gardening for wildlife
  • Use baseline to monitor uptake of advice provided to individual gardeners/households/areas of the village
  • Encourage self-reported increase in biodiversity and planting for wildlife & collate through Follow up questionnaire
  • Consider introducing subsection/category/display identifying most improved for wildlife garden annually at Wenhaston Village Show
  • Opportunistically/by invitation engage other existing village groups in project aims (Men’s breakfast/Women’s Coffee Morning/village school
  • Monitor new/improved garden wildlife ponds created each year (sub-section of project)
  • Signpost websites/resources for independent response to goals on request.

Outcomes

  • Create baseline data set against which outcomes will be measured.
  • ID new/improved wildlife gardens/areas/corridors
  • Once established, we want to measure their impact on wildlife. 
  • Hopefully establish that project has delivered some/all aims set at the outset (TBD)

Organisation

Project leader – Ann Follows/Judy Miller

Project team – AF/JM Tony & Sue Gow

Report to – WW Steering Group

 

 

Actions and Timescales:

  • Baseline Garden Survey
  • Open Wildlife Gardens/safari event (suggested weekend June 3/4th 2023)
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