Nature Notes from John Cooper
August 2018
It was revealed recently on BBC’s Radio 4 “Today Programme” that considerably less than 1% of Britain is urban. Most of the country is still rural, albeit it often set aside for agriculture or forestry.
Nevertheless, the need to protect our “wild places” has never been more vital. Many native animals and plants have declined in recent years and, while the causes of this are probably complex and multifactorial, habitat destruction or degradation - as a result of, for example, the building of new houses and the use of pesticides – must play a part.
One way of protecting our native wildlife is to set aside areas in public places so that animals and plants can survive without undue disturbance. A high-profile example of this is in London, at the top of the road (or canal) leading from Camden Town tube station to the zoo. In the zoo’s outside car park there are notices explaining that the area is home to hedgehogs and that therefore the horticultural staff have instructions not to cut and mow the vegetation. It is a sad fact that there has been a 30% drop in hedgehog numbers in Britain since 2002. Measures similar to those taken by London Zoo to help this popular species could usefully be extended elsewhere – for instance, by careful and considerate management of our gardens, including leaving holes in fences so that hedgehogs can travel reasonable distances to forage and find a mate.
How we look after our gardens has come under scientific scrutiny. An editorial in a recent newsletter of the Amateur Entomologists' Society (AES) reminded us that our lawns originated from mediaeval grazing enclosures for livestock. By the end of the 17th century they had become something of a status symbol because they represented land that was not required for building or food production. Following the invention of the lawn mower in 1830 lawns became popular for sport and leisure. A well-maintained lawn was - and to an extent probably still is - considered a sign of status and respectability.
Horticulturists have long cautioned that leaves will ruin our lawns by causing disease and prompting the growth of moss; to make matters worse, the earthworms that the leaves encourage might attract moles! However, the invertebrate conservation body Buglife recommends the exact opposite. Buglife’s advice on maintaining a balanced wildlife garden includes the exhortation that we should ‘let dead leaves lie as food for worms and other decomposers which are good for the soil’ (see reference 1). The Woodland Trust is another organisation that believes in leaving leaves so as to create habitat for small creatures, to provide soil nutrients, and to save waste, pollution and time (see reference 2). Indeed, the Woodland Trust and some others have even suggested mowing lawns only once or twice a year, thereby allowing them to become meadows – a sanctuary for wildlife.
There are clear dilemmas but the most important message seems to be that we should look upon gardens, allotments and “backyards” in a much more holistic way. They are not just places to tend flowers, to grow vegetables or to park a car. They provide homes for wild plants (so frequently condemned as “weeds”) and for a myriad of animal species, ranging from millipedes to mice. All deserve consideration. That great Quaker John Woolman urged that we show “a tenderness towards all creatures”. That, surely, means that we should assess regularly what effect our activities – even in the garden- may be having on other living things.
John E Cooper
It was revealed recently on BBC’s Radio 4 “Today Programme” that considerably less than 1% of Britain is urban. Most of the country is still rural, albeit it often set aside for agriculture or forestry.
Nevertheless, the need to protect our “wild places” has never been more vital. Many native animals and plants have declined in recent years and, while the causes of this are probably complex and multifactorial, habitat destruction or degradation - as a result of, for example, the building of new houses and the use of pesticides – must play a part.
One way of protecting our native wildlife is to set aside areas in public places so that animals and plants can survive without undue disturbance. A high-profile example of this is in London, at the top of the road (or canal) leading from Camden Town tube station to the zoo. In the zoo’s outside car park there are notices explaining that the area is home to hedgehogs and that therefore the horticultural staff have instructions not to cut and mow the vegetation. It is a sad fact that there has been a 30% drop in hedgehog numbers in Britain since 2002. Measures similar to those taken by London Zoo to help this popular species could usefully be extended elsewhere – for instance, by careful and considerate management of our gardens, including leaving holes in fences so that hedgehogs can travel reasonable distances to forage and find a mate.
How we look after our gardens has come under scientific scrutiny. An editorial in a recent newsletter of the Amateur Entomologists' Society (AES) reminded us that our lawns originated from mediaeval grazing enclosures for livestock. By the end of the 17th century they had become something of a status symbol because they represented land that was not required for building or food production. Following the invention of the lawn mower in 1830 lawns became popular for sport and leisure. A well-maintained lawn was - and to an extent probably still is - considered a sign of status and respectability.
Horticulturists have long cautioned that leaves will ruin our lawns by causing disease and prompting the growth of moss; to make matters worse, the earthworms that the leaves encourage might attract moles! However, the invertebrate conservation body Buglife recommends the exact opposite. Buglife’s advice on maintaining a balanced wildlife garden includes the exhortation that we should ‘let dead leaves lie as food for worms and other decomposers which are good for the soil’ (see reference 1). The Woodland Trust is another organisation that believes in leaving leaves so as to create habitat for small creatures, to provide soil nutrients, and to save waste, pollution and time (see reference 2). Indeed, the Woodland Trust and some others have even suggested mowing lawns only once or twice a year, thereby allowing them to become meadows – a sanctuary for wildlife.
There are clear dilemmas but the most important message seems to be that we should look upon gardens, allotments and “backyards” in a much more holistic way. They are not just places to tend flowers, to grow vegetables or to park a car. They provide homes for wild plants (so frequently condemned as “weeds”) and for a myriad of animal species, ranging from millipedes to mice. All deserve consideration. That great Quaker John Woolman urged that we show “a tenderness towards all creatures”. That, surely, means that we should assess regularly what effect our activities – even in the garden- may be having on other living things.
- Buglife, ‘Wildlife Gardening’. Web article: https://www.buglife.org.uk/activities-for-you/wildlife-gardening
- Wolfe, D. 'Scientists Urge: Don't Rake Your Leaves! - Here's Why'. Web article
John E Cooper