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Energy Parents / Carer Notes

Description: Energy Parents / Carer Notes
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An introduction to orchard management (PDF 3.5MB new window)

Description: An introduction to orchard anagement mProduced by the North East Wales Orchard Recovery Project 2012North Wales Wildlife Trust: 376 High Street, Bangor, LL571YE. Tel. 01248 351541 www.northwaleswildlifetrust.org E-mail nwwt@wildlifetrustswales.org Flintshire County Council: E-mail biodiversity@flintshire.gov.uk, Tel. 01352 703263 Wood Cottage Berry Farm Bettisfield Hall Bettisfield Nr Whitchurch SY13 2LB Tel: 01948 710 525Old Chapel NurseryChapel House Glan y Nant Llanidloes SY18 6PQ gareth@welshtrees.co.uk www.welshtrees.co.ukArtwork: by Hannah Forde, Old Wives Tale www.old-wives-tale.com Cover photos: Gareth DaviesIntro d uc ti o nTraditional orchard habitat© Gareth Davies © Gareth Davies © Gareth Davies © Gareth DaviesThe area of traditional orchards in the U.K. has declined by over 60% in the last 50 years. Once a common sight in the British countryside they have now become rare and have recently been listed as a national biodiversity priority habitat. With the loss of the traditional orchard habitat we also face the potential loss of the 1800 species associated with orchards, rare fruit varieties, knowledge, ancient traditions and prominent landscape features. The decline has been attributed to changing agricultural practices and competition from supermarkets which can provide imported fruit at cheap prices, rendering our native orchard produce not economically viable.1Traditional orchards are assumed to be over 60 years in age and have often occupied the same area of land for hundreds of years; they are planted at low densities and cultivated using low intensity methods avoiding the use of pesticides and herbicides in favour of grazing and natural pest control. The orchards traditionally associated with North East Wales are dominated by apple varieties and range from formal orchards established on fertile, free draining pasture to a selection of trees distributed evenly throughout hedgerows. In addition to apples, pears, plums, damsons, walnuts and cherries also have significance in North East Wales. Traditional local farm orchards were stocked with cider, cooking and general all-rounder apples and perry pears, limited in variety, size and numbers. Heritage orchards established on large estates were stocked with a wider assortment of trees featuring dessert and culinary apples and pears and are now considered rare.Intro d uc ti o n© Gareth Davies© Gareth Davies2Intro d uc ti o n© Gareth DaviesThese older traditional varieties are often better suited to local site conditions than the modern cultivars. Although a large proportion of traditional fruit tree varieties have been lost, a considerable number do survive and are found locally. Nationally these trees are important for productivity, diversity and resilience to pests and diseases. In several cases certain varieties of fruit trees have never been locally described and are absent from the national orchard collection. Traditional orchard pasture is normally species rich, unimproved grassland, traditionally grazed by sheep, geese and cattle and provides convenient shelter and security for young spring lambs.33 4Wild l ifeOrchards and WildlifeAn orchard can provide a refuge for wildlife in our landscape dominated by intensive agriculture. The combination of fruit trees and grassland that have often been undisturbed for hundreds of years and avoided any agricultural improvement results in an environment that is immensely rich in biodiversity.© Sarah Slater © Jim Asher, Butterfly Conservation© Stuart Body © Andy HarmerJust one apple tree can support over 1000 different invertebrates including moths, bugs and beetles. Often a traditional orchard provides a mosaic of different habitats similar to parkland. The fruit trees themselves provide varied opportunities for wildlife. They are fairly short lived hardwoods; this means that they will exhibit veteran tree characteristics like hollow trunks, split bark and holes relatively quickly. And because traditional orchards are planted at a low density the dead and decaying wood is usually within a fairly open environment with lots of light and sunshine.© David Green Butterfly ConservationWild l ife© English Nature© Jim Asher Butterfly ConservationThese factors provide ideal conditions for invertebrates. Over 400 types of insect have been found in traditional orchards that are classed as specialist wood decay species. These invertebrates subsequently provide a food source for many birds and mammals. Apple, pear, plum and cherry blossom in the spring providing an excellent nectar source for many insects including bees, hoverflies and moths. The branches of the fruit trees provide a nesting site for mistle thrushes and chaffinches and windfall fruit feeds invertebrates, birds and mammals.© English nature© Stuart Body© Stuart Body35Orchard Plants: In addition to the fruit trees, a wide variety of plants can be found in an orchard. "Chicken of the wood" and "weeping bracket fungus" thrive on the dead and decaying wood and the unimproved grazed or cut grassland often found in orchards provides the ideal habitat for a rare group of fungi called waxcaps. Lichen, mosses and liverworts also grow on the fruit tree bark. Climbing plants including ivy, honeysuckle and mistletoe grow through the tangled fruit tree braches. Ivy berries provide early fruits for birds and a valuable late nectar source for insects.Wild l ife© Stuart Body4 6Honeysuckle provides a nectar source when in flower and fruit in the autumn; its bark is also used by dormice to build nests, a species which has also been found in traditional orchards. Mistletoe is a semi-parasitic plant that favours apple trees and is consequently often found in orchards. Its white berries provide a winter food source for wildlife particularly the mistle thrush and migratory blackcap which act as vectors to disperse the seeds.The unimproved grasslands in orchards can be rich in wild grassland flowers like ox-eye daisies, umbellifers, trefoils, clovers and vetches which are all useful food sources and create a meadow alive with pollinating insects in the summer months.Wild l ife© Sarah Slater© Sarah SlaterInvertebrates: Invertebrates use the mosaic of habitats in an orchard throughout the year. A well varied orchard will sustain many invertebrates for the whole of their lifecycle. In the spring, queen bees and wasps emerge from hibernation and feed up on the abundant fruit blossom available, later their workers help to control caterpillars. Bumblebees are frequently found in orchards and are excellent pollinators. In the summer months bumblebees will find pollen and nectar in the wild grassland flowers and the hedgerow. Spiders will hunt and build webs to take advantage of all the flies attracted to the flowers and fruits of the orchard. Fallen fruit in autumn provides food for bees, butterflies, moths and hoverflies, while bumblebees will hibernate in hedgerows through the winter and ladybirds will overwinter under the bark of the fruit trees.7Wild l ifeBirds: A single orchard can provide food and a nesting site for around forty different species of bird including thrushes, finches, flycatchers, woodpeckers and migratory fieldfare, blackcap and redwing. Birds will use the tree hollows and branches for nesting and will feed on the fruit throughout the year. Managing a hedgerow around an orchard sympathetically can also encourage birds; for example the bullfinch and turtle dove prefer large hedges. Birds and bats both act as the orchard's natural pest control with species like the thrush and chaffinch feeding tirelessly on grubs.8Mammals: Larger mammals like foxes are drawn to orchards to hunt rabbits. Foxes and badgers will also feed on windfall fruit. Deer, rabbits, hares, bank and field voles and mice will all forage in the orchard's grassland. The rarer hazel dormouse has also been recorded nesting in orchards. Hedgehogs are attracted to orchards for the abundant invertebrate life and fallen fruit. A variety of bat species will also use orchards as foraging grounds; the pipistrelle and brown long eared bat feed on the invertebrates attracted to the orchard's fruit and pollen. Like birds, bats will use the cracks and hollows in the orchard trees to roost.© English Nature© Sarah Slater© Sam DyerSome common orchard species:Invertebrates:Stag beetle, noble chafer v apple lace bug iolet oil beetl e white l etter h airstre northe ak rn brow n argu s pearl border ed fritillary mistle toe ma goat moth rble orchar d toothMammals:Hedg ehog Dormouse lesser ts: noctule, ba brown horseshoe, , soprano long-eared on and comm pipistrelleWild l ifeSlo GraCommwwRe pt ile sorm:on lizardet inn L koo cuc Starling r on r he omm amme lycatc C wh it df ello otte sh t Y r Sp Ma Dunnock ds tit kbir ow s cap Will rrow Blac Black spa se er nch Hou rrow ullfi spa dpeck B h Tree oo thrus d w sh le te u Mist ch r spot thr in se g wf es Son Ha L: ds Birpa rtrss snakeidgeAmpGreeyhibia nGrs:at c r Com ested n ewt mon toad9Wild l ifeThe biodiversity value in an orchard can easily be improved by taking some simple steps: Plant new trees: The older trees may be most important now but planting new trees secures the future of your orchard and maintains a diverse age structure ensuring a variety of different habitats within the orchard. Keep standing dead wood and dying wood, provided it is not diseased: This will provide a substrate for fungi and lichens, provide for a group of niche species which are dependant on decaying wood and enhance the natural orchard habitat further. Plant hedges: Hedges not only provide shelter for an orchard they also provide a link connecting the orchard to the surrounding landscape. Hedges provide additional cross pollination opportunities with species like wild plum (bullace), hazel and crab apple. Hedgerows help create a microclimate in the orchard and can provide additional sources of food over the winter, particularly for birds. Remove excess nutrients from the orchard grassland: Graze or cut the grassland for hay, this removes nutrients encouraging wildflower diversity which will help attract pollinators to the orchard. Retain fallen fruit: Windfall provides an invaluable source of food for many species including birds, mammals and invertebrates. Take note however, diseased trees have a tendency to retain fruit on the branches, whereby perpetuating the lifecycle of the pathogen.10Pl antingPlanting an orchardTraditional orchards are described as being a mixed plantation of fruiting trees grown on desired rootstock and trained as standards or half-standards established at a planting density of 300 trees per ha. Trees are grown on specific rootstock and spaced at 5 to 7m centres with a final height of 10 to 12m.The Site: The ideal site for a fruit orchard should consistof a gentle south facing slope which is sheltered from cold winds, at or below 90m/300ft with moderately free draining soils of pH 5.6 to 6.0 with approximately 75cm/30in of rainfall per year. Sites possessing these attributes will produce fruit of good quality and flavour. In addition, sufficient space should be provided which is appropriate to the vigour of the chosen root stock. Sites with some shading, which are slightly elevated with increased levels of exposure will be acceptable, especially with early-ripening fruiting varieties. Frost damage and consequently a drop in fruit yields will be evident with early-flowering varieties planted in exposed areas.1112Pl antingApples will tolerate more varied site conditions and will fruit successfully up to 180m/600ft. Altitudes of 300m/1000ft are not unknown for orchards in Britain, but fruit production will be more variable and species choice more limited. Avoid waterlogged soils, excessively dry sites, exposed areas, frost hollows and soils with exceptionally high or low pH levels. Traditional orchards have an association with, and will support an element of, light grazing. However trees should be individually guarded against browsing and the areas should be fenced off with grazing levels closely monitored. While grazing is used as a management tool for controlling herbaceous and woody weeds, on a cautionary note, domestic stock can damage trees.Choosing Trees: The type of fruit and fruit varietiesshould be chosen according to the site conditions, pollination groups, climatic factors and taste. Heritage varieties are often considered preferable for ecological reasons because they do not depend on pesticides; they therefore create a better environment for wildlife. When acquiring fruit trees, only buy healthy plants, stocky in appearance and sufficiently hardened-off to withstand winter weather conditions. Most traditional nurseries stock heritage varieties with cuttings grafted onto container grown rootstocks or bare-root transplants.Pl anting© John PurchaseSite Preparation: Site preparation should ensure thattrees are planted in stock-proof areas. Weeds should ideally be cleared by hand or by the use of a suitable herbicide. Hard ground or compacted soils should be rotivated or ploughed and the soil should be fertilised. If a site is exposed, provide protection by the erection of a windbreak.Plant Care and Handling: Many young trees fail togrow or die prematurely because of neglect and/or rough handling which can occur before and during planting. This form of damage usually occurs in 3 ways; root drying, overheating/freezing and/or physical shock. To eliminate these problems ensure trees are kept in suitable containers and watered when required, store the young trees in the shade and/or undercover and only remove the tree from the container or bag when actually planting. Young trees are very susceptible to physical shock so handle gently, don't drop or throw young plants and be aware of tender buds.13Pl anting© John PurchaseWhen to Plant: The standard planting season or plantingwindow for bare root trees is between November and March. Container grown trees can be planted much later into the summer months with a regular watering regime. During the winter planting season trees are dormant and will tolerate a modest degree of disturbance. Some simple rules to follow when planting young trees are: don't plant if the ground is frozen and don't plant if the area is water logged.Spacing: Generally, plant spacing is dictated by the potentialsize of the mature trees, which is influenced predominantly by the vigour and growth characteristics of the rootstock. Traditional orchards stocked with large heritage varieties are planted at 5.5m spacing which equates to 330 trees per hectare, whereas smaller trees grafted on half standards are planted at 3m spacing or 1100 trees per ha. However, five small trees, planted in containers and kept on a patio is also considered an orchard!14Pl antingPlanting: It is very important that trees are planted firmlyand at the correct depth. Always ensure that the tree "root collar" is at the right level. This is where the root changes into a stem and is usually indicated by a soil mark and a slight change in colour (not to be confused by the graft union which will be higher).The recommended method is Pit Planting, suitable for all soil types. The method entails: Digging a pit using a spade or mattock; the pit should be big enough to accommodate the root system. Hold the tree upright in the hole and ensure that the root collar is at ground level. Return the soil around the roots and firm to minimise air pockets. Make sure the soil is consolidated to the full depth of the pit.15Pl antingAn alternative method for one year old bare root plants on well drained and weed free areas is the Notch Planting Method. This planting method entails: Cutting an L, T, V or H shaped notch deep enough to take the root system. Lever up the soil and insert the root, being careful not to distort or damage them. Remove the spade and carefully ease the plant upwards until the root collar is at ground level. Then firm in the tree with the heel, removing air pockets and ensuring the tree is upright.Staking and Watering: Most trees less than 1.2m do notrequire staking. However, if large trees are to be planted, then staking the tree to one third of the height with a single tie will be necessary. Some movement of the tree will stimulate root growth. Always water in your trees and maintain the watering regime during the establishment phase.16Pl antingAftercare: When the trees have been planted,aftercare should focus on watering, weeding, pest control and firming trees in. Keep an area of 1m2 around the base of each tree free of weeds. This can be achieved by using organic mulches, mulch mats, hand weeding or herbicides. Note that regular strimming and grass cutting around the trees is not as effective as weed control. Cutting grass only stimulates root growth and ultimately water and nutrient competition by the grass. For the first few months after planting, particularly after strong winds or frosts, firming in the soil around the trees is important. Firming in involves gently pushing the soil down around the tree, this prevents air pockets forming around the roots which may make the tree unstable or vulnerable to frost damage. Trees which are not firmed in properly never make satisfactory growth and usually die.© Gareth Davies© Gareth Davies© Gareth DaviesRabbits, hares, voles and livestock can cause considerable damage to trees, especially young trees. The use of protective guards coupled with adequate fencing should be used with stock. Guards should be regularly checked and reset if required. Insects can cause defoliation and damage shoots, bark and roots. Maintain and inspect trees regularly and monitor for damage. Should damage occur, take advice and action to minimise the affected area.17Managem e ntManagementOrchard management and the law: The legislation thatapplies to your orchard will depend on its location, whether it has any protection and the species that may be present. If you are the landowner you will often be aware of these circumstances. Orchards may be within designated conservation sites (E.g. SSSI) or provide a home for protected species such as bats. If this is the case you may need to consult the Countryside Council for Wales before undertaking any work. In addition the Forestry Commission's Felling Licence limits the volume of timber which can be felled without a licence. Some orchard trees may also be protected under the Town and Country Planning Act, if they have tree preservation orders or when they are growing within a designated conservation area. For these trees it is an offence to lop, top, fell, wilfully damage or destroy a tree without consent. In these cases there are specific exemptions which can permit work on trees grown for fruit production. These exemptions vary and clarification should be sought before carrying out work to protected trees. The local planning authority in your area and the Forestry Commission will be able to inform you about whether or not these restrictions apply to your orchard trees.18Managem e nt© Guy SpringettManagement and Restoration: As with all semi-naturalhabitats, if left unattended traditional orchards can become dense scrub and tangled thickets. The key to a healthy and productive orchard is "Best Practice" management. When considering restoration programmes for semi-natural habitats, the first step must be an assessment and ecological audit of the orchard. This assessment should include all growing stock, boundaries and marginal areas, soils, herblayer and all other features which have a bearing on future management i.e. provision for access, availability of water, local markets and potential end use. When considering the physical condition of individual trees growing within an old orchard, it is vitally important that the variety and the heritage value of the tree be identified.19Manageme ntObjectives: Management objectives associated withheritage orchards should focus on restoring the health and vitality of the orchard as well as production. If the trees are severely compromised and are beyond restoration, grafting and budding material onto suitable rootstock should be undertaken. This process of rejuvenating trees will perpetuate the survival of the existing orchard stock and when firmly established, the old parent tree can be left to decline naturally. Remember old and decaying deadwood is an important ecological component of any wooded semi-natural habitat.© Paul Parker 2012 © Paul Parker 2012© Paul Parker 201220Manageme ntOther management intentions should focus on the sympathetic management of pest and diseases, restorative and/or formative pruning, improving soil conditions, reducing weed competition and restocking where necessary.Pruning: In its simplest form, pruning involves removinga segment of a tree or shrub by physical means for a specific function. Pruning is used to improve the shape and character of a tree whilst maintaining health. Removing unwanted growth and deadwood from an old derelict fruit tree, if done correctly, will restore health and vigour.How to Prune: Although there are numerous ways ofpruning trees and shrubs, the general principles and the tools to be used are basically the same. Saws are employed for the removal of large limbs and secateurs and long handled pruners (heavy duty shearers) are used for removing smaller material. It is highly unlikely that run of the mill pruning jobs will require the use of a chainsaw, nevertheless corrective pruning on large trees undertaken by a professional with a chainsaw is an option. Additional tools used for pruning include sharp knives, rakes, ladders and wheelbarrows.21Manageme ntWhen pruning, cuts must be clean and therefore sharp tools are required. Blunt or incorrectly sharpened tools will crush tissue and will leave snags. Also techniques used to remove material should avoid tear-back and bark stripping. Avoid snags and tear-backs especially near the branch collar as this collar is used to heal the wound and is an important defence in preventing the ingress of infection. To prevent cross contamination always clean and sterilise tools with an appropriate product or methylated spirit.Horizontal pruning cuts should be avoided. All cuts should be sloping, continuous and clean to facilitate the removal of water and any harmful pathogens. There should be no need to use paint to seal wounds as appropriate cutting techniques will self-heal. Prune trees as per species; different species are pruned at different times of the year. As a general rule apples and pears are pruned in winter during the dormant period whereas cherries, plums and damsons are pruned in June when growth is strong. It is beneficial for Prunus spp to bleed thus preventing the ingress of pathogens associated with the disease silver leaf. Ensure that you clean-up after work, disposing of material in a suitable manner, especially if the cut material is infected with a harmful and potentially contagious disease.22Manageme ntPruning should focus on the removal of dead, diseased and crossing branches, reduce overcrowding and improve symmetry and balance and if necessary redefine shape and stature. Different techniques are adopted when pruning fruit trees that bear fruit on tips (tip-bearing fruit trees) and with trees that bear fruit on older wood (spur-bearing fruit trees).Correct pruningNursery grown treeIncorrect pruning23Manageme ntGrafting and Rootstock: Many forms of fruit are unableto produce exact copies by sexual means a tree grown from seed will have a different genetic pattern to its `mother' tree, similar to a mother and child. In order to produce an exact copy, with the same fruiting characteristics, we take a piece of the original tree, the desired plant and graft or bud the material directly onto a section of suitable rootstock. This allows us to grow a variety of fruit identical to the parent tree. All orchard management includes a degree of grafting or budding, which in its simplest form, is transplanting a section of tissue from one tree to another, with the subsequent tree developing into an exact copy of the original. Grafting and budding techniques rely on the vascular tissue (cambium) of the rootstock uniting to form a single and continuous segment of tissue. Plants that develop from these propagation methods will have all of the attributes of the mother plant and the vigour of the rootstock. This phenomenon is used to great advantage when fruit trees are chosen for their fruiting capacity whilst the rootstock is chosen for its vigour, soil and site tolerance and ability to fend off and resist diseases.24Managem e nt© John PurchaseChoosing a Rootstock: One of the most important factors when considering choice of rootstock is the fruit production. Tree size and ultimately crop yields are determined by the vigour and vitality of the rootstock. Apple trees grown on dwarfing rootstock such as M9 and M26 will attain relatively small terminal heights with low production levels. Apple trees grown on vigorous rootstock such as M25 will promote large fruiting trees capable of producing high quantities of fruit.25Manageme ntRootstocks are produced in beds where the parent material is lined out and the beds are earthed up each spring, to encourage the lower part of the plant to produce roots at the base of the lower shoots. In the autumn the soil is brushed away and the branches with roots are cut off and in turn, lined out to grow on. Nurseries produce large quantities of this material which is classified as "0 plus 1", each autumn. Heritage rootstocks tend to produce large trees as the rootstock developed a large, deep taproot. Modern plant breeders have moved away from these to produce a smaller, more manageable tree. Choice of rootstock is very important as it will reflect the size of the mature tree. The space and soil type of where the tree is to be planted will determine the choice of rootstock. Another general rule associated with fruiting trees is that the larger the tree, the longer it will take to produce fruit, an M25 rootstock for example will take between 5 and 8 years, while an M26 will take between 2 and 3 years. Very Semi Vigorous Dwarf DwarfDwarfModerate26Very VigorousManageme ntGrafting Techniques: There are two main environments for grafting: outside in the "field" and "bench" grafting under cover in a green house or polytunnel. When grafting in the field or orchard "Whip and Tongue" grafts are chosen because the tongue forms a very stable wind resistant graft. Because of the secure indoor environment of a polytunnel, bench grafting techniques can be very varied and utilise many different forms of grafting. In the case of budding, one single bud is used to produce the new fruit tree. The main types of budding used are "T" or Shield budding, Inverted "T" and Chip budding, all of which are carried out in the field by budding onto rootstock, the rootstock being one year old cuttings which are species compatible with the grafting material or varieties chosen. Budding is normally carried out in July and August.Cut bud Cut rootstock27Managem e ntIn grafting a cutting of the desired variety comprising of three to five buds called a "scion" is used to produce a new fruit tree. Types of grafting include; Whip, Wedge, Saddle Whip and Tongue Grafts. Grafting is carried out during the dormant period in February and March just before the spring growth appears.28© Stuart BodyPro d uc tiv ity© Stuart BodyTrees grown on fertile soils, in a well-managed and healthy orchards will sustain a level of fruit production for extended periods often in excess of 150 years for apples and 300 years for pears. Pruning for Productivity: An important feature associated with fruit production is pruning. Different varieties of fruiting trees have different fruiting habits. Some trees produce fruits on fruit spurs which grow on two year old wood whereas other trees produce fruits on one year old fruit shoots. Therefore the removal of unnecessary and diseased wood will have a significant affect on fruit yields especially if the incorrect technique is applied. Harvesting: Harvesting crops and picking fruit should be undertaken when the fruit is ripe, preferably from the tree and before fruit-fall. When planning and designing an orchard, consideration must be given to choosing varieties which have the capacity to be stored.Productivity and harvesting29Fruit harvested and destined for storage and consumed or processed at a later date should be picked when the fruit is mature and firm and not when ripe and certainly picked before wind-fall. Fallen fruit has a tendency to bruise and will severely affect the ability of the fruit to remain pristine and free from decay. Other considerations when harvesting fruit for storage is that the harvesting period will be extended as not all fruit ripens collectively. Commercial apple crops (Heritage Varieties) in excess of 120kg per tree/30 tonnes per ha are known, however most modern apple orchards now adopt smaller trees, planted in windrows and produce in excess of 60 tonnes per ha. Additional Products: Orchards can also provide a supplementary income or produce with winter mistletoe, cultivated spring daffodils and honey.Pro d uc tiv ity© Gareth Davies30© Gareth Davies© Amanda Davies
Url: /en/PDFFiles/Countryside--Coast/Biodiversity/An-introduction-to-orchard-management.pdf

Buildings

Description: Council owned buildings produce a quantity of carbon emissions because of the use of energy which burns fossil fuels.
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Wildlife gardening information pack (PDF 1.6MB new window)

Description: Wildlife Gardening Information Pack Gardens are an important resource for our native wildlife. This information pack has been designed to provide you with the necessary information to garden in an environmentallyfriendly way, which will benefit wildlife. Contents 1. Introduction to Wildlife Gardening 7. Compost 2. Trees, Shrubs and Hedges 8. Feeding the Birds 3. Wildflower Meadows 9. Plants for a Wildlife Garden 4. Ponds and Wet Areas 10. Plants to Avoid 5. Pest Control 11. Wildlife Garden Calendar 6. Homes for Wildlife For more information contact Flintshire's Biodiversity Officer on 01352 703263 or email biodiversity@flintshire.gov.uk Flintshire County Council, County Hall, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 6NF www.flintshire.gov.co.uk/biodiversity Pack written and compiled by Denbighshire County Council, Biodiversity Officer 1. Introduction to Wildlife Gardening Gardens are an increasingly important resource for wildlife in the UK. As our open countryside is farmed intensively and land is developed, the opportunities for wildlife decrease. 84% of British households have a garden that's about 15 million gardens or over 2 million acres. If managed in the right way, gardens can provide ideal habitats for animals and plants and make a significant contribution to wildlife conservation. Recent research has shown that an average sized garden, managed with conservation in mind, can support up to 3000 different species of plants and animals. But closemown lawns and carefully weeded borders offer few opportunities for wildlife. This series of wildlife gardening leaflets aims to provide you with the necessary information to turn your garden into a rich and varied habitat for native wildlife. Wildlife needs food, water and a place to live and breed. These can be provided whatever the size of your garden. You may already have features in your garden that attract wildlife. In creating a wildlife Our wildlife garden at Loggerheads Country Park garden we are trying to recreate some of the habitats that would be found in the wild, though on a smaller scale. Variety is the key The key to a successful wildlife garden is variety. Different plants attract different species and native plants are best. We have a complex, mixed community of wildlife that has evolved together over the last eight to ten thousand years. Many planteating larvae only eat the leaves of one specific type of plant always a native one. The greater the variety of natives you plant, the wider the menu you are providing and the greater variety of wildlife you are likely to attract. Most species will be eaten by more than one animal and tend to support hundreds of different species. In contrast, nonnative plants usually only support single figures (though in their native countries they are too likely to feed hundreds). The colour, fragrance and shape of flowers determine what insects can feed on them. For example only moths with long tongues can reach deep down into flowers with long narrow petal tubes, like evening primrose and honeysuckle, to feed on the nectar. But shorttongued insects feed on short flowers. Pale flowers are more easily seen in poor light, so are attractive species active at dusk. Purple flowers attract butterflies and bees. Bumble bees feed on nectar Fragrance also attracts different kinds of insects. in native flowers like thistles To attract many flying insects, like bees, butterflies and moths, you will need to provide nectarrich flowers. Traditional cottage garden or wild flowers tend to produce more nectar than modern hybrid varieties. Avoid double flowered varieties as these make it difficult for insects to access the nectar. Plants that produce berries and seeds provide food for insects, birds and mammals. With all these different resources in your garden, you can build up a complex foodweb involving a wide range of wildlife. Adding features like Berries are enjoyed by a range of garden ponds, deadwood piles, bird and bat boxes will birds, like this thrush further enhance the habitat for wildlife. More for the environment A wildlife garden not only benefits the local fauna and flora by gardening in a more environmentallyfriendly way you can have a positive impact on the planet by conserving resources and reducing your carbon footprint. Having native plants in your garden benefits the local wildlife because they can utilise the species far better than exotic varieties. But there are more benefits: native plants are used to local conditions such as the amount of rainfall, temperature and soil type. This means they don't need to be watered or fertilised and can tolerate dry spells in summer, so you save water and don't need to use inorganic fertilisers (the production of which emits large quantities of CO 2 ). Growing your own vegetables, salad and fruit reduces your carbon footprint because your food only needs to travel from your garden to your kitchen table rather than across Britain, or even the world. And there is no packaging. Growing your own food is also hugely satisfying and it tastes great! Keeping chickens is another good idea if you have enough space. A water butt can be used to collect rainwater from your gutters, so you don't need to use mains water for your plants. Using rainwater in the garden conserves water levels in our reservoirs, which can become very low in periods of drought, leading to hosepipe bans. Collecting rainwater in a water butt is also a good way of using water that would otherwise be wasted. A garden for everyone A wildlife garden is not a garden left to run wild. It is a garden inspired by nature that both wildlife and people can enjoy. We hope the guidance in our wildlife gardening information pack will help you to transform your garden into a haven for wildlife, providing plenty of enjoyment for people too. 2. Trees, Shrubs and Hedges Many of our commonest garden inhabitants originally lived in woodlands, which have suffered huge declines in extent across the UK. And the loss of traditional management that created glades and dappled edges means that most remaining ancient woodlands are a tangle of impenetrable undergrowth. Garden shrubbery can create a miniwoodland edge, providing a home for a wide variety of wildlife, from foxes, badgers and squirrels in larger gardens to mice, hedgehogs, butterflies and a wide variety of birds. Hedgerows can provide a valuable scaled down version of this woodland edge and are a sheltered, safe corridor through which wildlife can move. A variety of birds will nest and shelter here and a good mix of shrubs will provide food most of the year. Some woodland edge flowers can be grown at the bottom of hedgerows. Native trees and shrubs will provide nectarrich flowers, buds, berries, fruits, seeds and nuts and places to breed, shelter and hibernate. Where: Plant trees and shrubs in a corner with a sunny edge. A shrubby border, meandering in and out of the sun will perfectly resemble the dappled shade of a woodland glade. Use hedgerows as a boundary instead of fences, to screen off an area of the garden such as a vegetable patch or wild area, to provide shelter from the wind or privacy. How: Carefully plant to compress what you would find in a real wood into a mini reserve by developing several layers of plants, one above the other, from trees to wildflowers and include logs and leaf litter. Even in a small garden try to grow at least one tree. If you have space, plant small trees about 3m apart. Large trees will need a lot of space. Plant trees between November and March but not if the ground is frozen or waterlogged. Bare rooted plants are cheaper, but the roots cannot be exposed for too long, so prepare the ground before taking out the whips. Dig a hole deep enough to meet the soil mark on the stem. Break up the soil in the bottom and add some compost or wellrotted manure. Place the plant in the hole and spread out the roots. Replace the soil and firm in with your heel, making sure the tree is upright. Protect it with a guard if necessary and keep the base free of weeds with a mulch. Keep the sapling watered during its first year. To form the second layer, interplant the trees with shrubs. Plant at about 1m spacing and prune them hard to encourage dense, bushy growth. Once the shade begins to develop start adding the wildflower layer. This will mean there will be gaps for the first couple of years as the trees and shrubs develop; mulch these to avoid weeds taking over. Coarsely chopped tree bark is ideal as it will also begin to establish the dead wood and decaying matter vitally important to many small woodland creatures. Create a few log piles around the edges around which wildflowers can grow, to provide an important habitat for minibeasts and fungi. Small mammals, amphibians and reptiles will also use these areas. Once trees and shrubs are strongly established plant some climbers which will grow through the layers. These can quickly take over though so will need controlling. Hedgerows: A variety of species can be used. 70 75% hawthorn provides a thorny, dense base for nesting birds and plentiful blossom and berries. Intersperse with four to six other species that flower and fruit at different times, for example, 15% field maple and 2% each of holly, native wild privet, dogwood, guilder rose and dog rose. If it is a large hedge include a tree every 10 20m. Plant whips between November and March, using bare rooted plants apart from holly which is best pot grown. Dig a trench 30 40cm deep, removing weeds and roots and loosening the soil at the bottom. Add plenty of manure. For a thick hedge, plant shrubs 30 45cm apart, stagger in two rows 30 45cm apart. Plant up to the soil mark on the stem, ensuring the roots are straight and the plants are upright, backfill with soil and firm in with your heel. Water well in the first year and mulch for the first five years. Protect the plants from rabbit or livestock grazing if necessary. For the first prune, cut plants back to 45 60cm above the ground to encourage bushy growth. Replace any dead plants to avoid gaps. After several years keep in shape by cutting in an `A' shape. This will encourage a bushy base, providing plenty of cover. Prune the hedge in the late winter once the berries have gone but before the start of the bird nesting season. Late January is the optimum time. To lessen the impact cut back one third each year in rotation. Once the hedge has become established, plant wildflowers at its base. Tips: Try to plant native species as much as possible. The plant list in this pack contains suitable species to consider. Try to use a combination of plants that will provide food all year round, particularly including some winterberrying varieties for when food is particularly scarce. When sweeping up autumn leaves, allow some to accumulate under the hedge as an organic mulch to provide food for minibeasts and a hibernating area for hedgehogs. Do not cut hedges or shrubs during the bird nesting season. The disturbance will cause the parent birds to desert the nest. Improve an existing hedge with gaps by laying it. This is a skilled task which involves cutting half way through the stems, bending and staking them to create a thicker hedge. Don't cut hedges at the same height and width each year, this will make them too woody. If you don't have enough space for trees, shrubs or a hedge try introducing a climber such as ivy or honeysuckle up a wall or any other vertical structure. Plant at least 30cm away from the bottom of the wall or fence so that the roots aren't in the drought zone created by these structures. For ivy, chop the plant down to 10cm above the ground to stimulate the production of young sideshoots which will allow it to cling to the wall up which it is growing. If growing in a sunny spot, prop a piece of wood or similar against the wall to shade the young plant for the first few months. Make sure you water regularly in the early stages of its growth. Ivy provides excellent cover for wildlife throughout the year and its nectar rich flowers provide valuable food right into December, followed by berries, again appearing once most other fruit has disappeared. If you don't want a climber that clings to the wall then you will need to provide a support. Fix this slightly away from the wall so that the gap created can be used as a shelter. 3. Wildflower Meadows Wildflower meadows are now almost entirely a thing of the past. Only 2% remains of the unimproved pasture in the UK 60 years ago. We are never going to recreate this habitat fully in gardens, but it is possible to conserve many wildflowers and in turn help the myriad creatures that depend on them. Grassland wildlife developed as a sideeffect of traditional hay meadow management. The change in this is what has led to their decline. A wildflower meadow can be re created by following the same regime of mowing and removing `hay'. Where: Although they can never be exactly recreated, wildflower meadows can be grown from scratch, pretty much anywhere. They can be as large or as small as you want. All you need is an area in a sunny spot, a bit of hard work and patience! How: Wildflowers need soil that is very poor in nutrients. If you have an established `traditional' lawn or rich, deep soil then you will need to reduce its fertility first, by regularly mowing closely and removing all the clippings. Or if you're happy for a drastic start remove all the turf and the first 510cm of topsoil. You could also plant greedy crops like potatoes or courgettes to strip away nutrients for a couple of summers. If the lawn is already low in fertility it may be ready straight away. Leave it to grow long in the spring and summer and see what comes up. Check the type of soil you have and select plants that are best suited to these conditions. Once you have reduced lawn fertility, cut very short in late summer / autumn and rake it vigorously to create batches of bare ground before sowing seed. If starting from bare earth, leave for a couple of weeks to allow weeds to germinate. These can then be removed by hand. When you are ready to sow the wildflowers, lightly rake and roll the soil to produce a seed bed. This should be fine, crumbly and firm so rake away all big lumps of earth, remove stones and firm the surface with feet or a roller. Sow seeds in late August (optimum time) or midApril. The seeds should be a combination of lowgrowing, nonaggressive grasses and wildflowers suited to the mowing regime. Make sure seed mixes don't contain rye grass. Sow the seeds very thinly, grass seeds first at a quantity of 2g per square metre. You can mix the seeds with sawdust or silver sand to get a more even spread. Sow the wildflowers in drifts of one or two species to create natural pockets. When all the seed has been sown, run gently over the surface with the back of a rake to very lightly cover the seed with soil then re firm everything with light treading or rolling. Ideal conditions for germination are dull, drizzly weather. If the weather is very dry, then it is worth watering with a very fine spray. Alternatively, you can buy and plant plugs or create your own. Sow seeds into pots or seed trays in late summer. Put the pots outside in a cold corner of the garden and leave them. Once April comes, keep the compost moist and the seeds should start germinating within a Wildflowers at our Loggerheads wildlife month. Not all will in the first year and may garden require two or three years of cold winters. Once the seedlings are big enough, transfer them to 6 or 7.5cm pots and leave them in a sheltered spot, watering them regularly for a whole summer. If they start to produce flower shoots, cut them off to encourage growth in the roots. At the beginning of October plant out these pot grown plants. Remove a plug of soil about the same size as the pot, remove the pot, put the plants in the hole and heel down firmly. If the grass gets any taller than 10cm cut it down to 5cm and firm with your feet to push back any loosened plants. In the first year there will not be any flower growth. Set the mower as high as possible and mow through the summer (probably every six to eight weeks) removing all clippings. Don't let it get below 5cm in length though. You should be able to adopt your permanent mowing regime in the second spring after sowing, but if the grasses still seem too dominant give it another year of the initial cutting regime. Once established, springflowering meadows are cut in July and for the remainder of the summer with the blades raised to 7 10cm and are then left from February until July. Summer meadows are left until late August / September or even October depending on when flowers have set seed. If needed, with this meadow you may want to consider a cut in late March or early April if thistles and vigorous grasses have taken hold over the winter. When you have cut the hay, leave it on the surface for a couple of days to allow it to dry and any creatures to crawl out before you remove it. Tips: If your garden is large enough have different areas under different regimes a closely mown area that is more practical for you, a springflowering meadow and a summer flowering meadow. When planting, group single species together for a natural look and space the plants 20 40cm apart. Year on year, see which plants appear to do best to help decide what others should be added to the meadow. Buy seeds from a native source rather than European stocks. Don't dig up wild plants. Protect the newly sown seeds from birds by stretching lengths of cotton with twists of aluminium foil across the meadow or hang up old CDs or bottles. Leave two or three of the field margins uncut as a refuge for wildlife. Rotate each year. Cut from the inside outwards to allow wildlife to escape to the margins. Meadows are traditionally grazed for a few months after cutting and the small areas of bare ground created from this creates sites for new plants to grow. You could mimic this by creating small bare patches with a rake. If the soil really is too fertile, you could create a cornfield patch instead. Sow a mixture of cornfield annuals such as poppies, cornflowers, corncockles and corn marigolds over bare soil. Some barley and wheat seed will add an authentic touch. After the flowers have set seed, rake over the soil so that there is open ground for them to grow in next year. If grasses become dominant try sowing yellow rattle (Rhianthus minor) which is semi parasitic on grasses. Sow this in August and keep the grass mown until March. Meadow establishment can take two to three years as different plants have different germination requirements. You need a lot of patience before you will achieve a mature meadow! A wildflower area doesn't require any additional watering or feeding, this could upset the natural balance being established and will encourage vigorous grasses. Try to make the drainage as good as possible by digging a soakaway at low points. 4. Ponds and Wet Areas Ponds and wet areas provide resources for a variety of animals, from dragonflies, frogs and toads which use it as a nursery ground, to the birds and mammals which need water to drink and bathe in. A staggering 75% of ponds have been lost from the wider countryside but ponds in gardens can provide some compensation. A large, perfectly situated pond will support a wide variety of wildlife, but a small, shaded pond still has value. Even an old sink or small container can be useful. The following guidelines show how to create the perfect wildlife pond, which can be adapted to suit your situation. Where: In a relatively sunny spot, open to the south and with shelter from the prevailing wind. Away from trees which will overshade it and drop their leaves in autumn. These will turn the water acidic and create an oxygen deficiency. If the garden has a natural hollow or dip, this is the obvious place for a pond. But avoid previously wet areas which benefit wildlife already. Try to avoid places where drainage could be an issue, if heavy rain washes debris and soil into the pond. Close to other wildlife areas such as marsh, meadow or long grass patches. Within range of a hosepipe as ponds can dry up in summer, preferably one attached to a water butt so rainwater can be used instead of tap water. In a safe area where it is not a danger to children. How: A minimum of 4m2 will create a good balanced environment. A gentlysided saucer or kidney shape will allow two zones of different depths. Mark out the shape of your pond with a rope or pegs before you start digging. Plan what you are going to do with the earth removed a rockery is ideal for insects and amphibians using the pond. At least one side should be very shallow and planted up with marsh plants. The other sides should slope gently to provide shallow areas on which much wildlife depends birds will drink and bathe there and amphibians will spawn in shallows. Gentle slopes also provide safe access for wildlife climbing in and out. The more varied the slopes and the longer more convoluted the shoreline, the better. At its deepest point, the pond should be at least 60cm for frogs to hibernate successfully and to prevent them from freezing solid in winter. A depth of 90cm 1m is ideal. Shelves created in the slopes will give further ranges of habitat and will also help to hold containers of marginal plants. Alternatively, planting pockets could be created by edging them with stones. Excavate the pond about 15cm deeper than you want the eventual depth to be at each point, allowing for half a metre around the eventual pond edge to anchor the line to check it is the same level all the way round. After digging out the pond, remove all stones and make the base as smooth as possible, filling any holes with sand or soil. Line with 5cm of sand, newspaper or old carpet to prevent the pond liner from puncturing, including the edges. Lay the liner in the hole but do not stretch it too tight. Make sure it is large enough to overlap the edges and weigh it down with bricks or similar. This edge can either be covered by soil or stones, after the water has been added, and a combination of the two can work very well, offering different habitats. Add a further layer of the protective sand, carpet or newspaper over the liner and finish with a layer of soil to protect it further and prevent it from being broken down by sunlight. Fill the pond letting the water trickle in so the soil is not disturbed. If using tap water allow it to dechlorinate naturally for at least 48 hours before stocking the pond. It is often best to allow your pond to stock itself. Give wildlife time to find it and move in. If you want to speed up the process, introduce a bucket of silt from a neighbour's wildlife pond as long as you know it doesn't contain any invasive species. Do not take plants or spawn from natural ponds or streams. If you do want to introduce plants yourself, use native plants from garden centres or friends' ponds as much as possible. Avoid invasive alien species which will smother your pond and can cause harm to the wider environment. The best time to plant is in April or early May using a mixture of submerged plants, floating plants and emergent plants (rooted in water but foliage extends above the surface). A list of suitable native plants can be found in the separate plant list in this pack. Bogs and marshland: These can be created in much the same way as ponds, just dig a shallower, saucer shaped hole and fill with liner and water as before. They can be a good extension of a pond or as a substitute if safety around small children is an issue. Many pond margin / emergent plants will grow here as long as it stays permanently wet. It is also important to maintain water levels to avoid nettles and docks from taking over. Tips: Do not introduce fish they will eat all the wildlife! Give your pond a season or two to reach a natural balance. Phosphates in the pond may cause an epidemic of blanket weed at first. You can carefully rake this out and compost (leave on the waters edge for a day or so first to allow any creatures to crawl back into the pond) but this is natural and will correct itself over time. In a new pond the shortage of dead plant material slows the development of the wildlife community. Encourage invertebrate activity by chopping an armful of clean straw into short lengths and floating them on the pond surface. The straw will then sink. Do not work in the pond between February and October as wildlife will be active and breeding. The best time is late October after tadpoles have emerged but before adults start to hibernate. Disturbing ponds in midwinter might expose hibernating amphibians to severe cold. Once plants start to become overgrown remove them on a rotational basis, one third each year in late October. This ensures there is enough cover for wildlife during clearance. Allow pondlife to get back into the pond by leaving plants you have removed on the edge for a while before composting. Provide some shelter in the form of log piles, stone piles or long grass nearby the pond into which amphibians or hedgehogs can retreat. Keep the water level topped up, with rainwater if possible, but don't worry if it drops a bit in the summer. This is quite natural and most plants can cope with it. Try to keep a hole open in the winter ice so birds can wash and drink. Rather than smashing the ice, place a tub of hot water on it to melt a hole. 5. Pest Control In a wildlife garden it is really important to avoid using chemicals to control pests and weeds. Often pesticides will kill much more than the target organism you are trying to get rid of. You can inadvertently kill beneficial insects, reduce the food available for birds and generally reduce the quality of the habitat for wildlife. But this doesn't mean that your garden will be overrun with aphids and slugs munching away at your precious plants! There are plenty of other ways to keep pest numbers low without damaging the environment. Encouraging predators Predatory invertebrates are an important link in the food chain in gardens. They prey on many pests, keeping their numbers at lower levels, as well as being food themselves for birds, mammals, frogs and toads. For a healthy garden ecosystem it is important to encourage predators like ladybirds, lacewings and hoverflies, by providing them with the conditions they need to thrive. This includes somewhere to shelter, which could be an artificial `insect home', either bought from a garden centre or made by drilling different sized holes partway through a log. A log pile is ideal for many predatory larvae to live. Set aside a wild, unkempt corner of the garden for weeds like nettles to grow, which will attract beneficial insects. Birds, hedgehogs, bats, frogs and toads will eat lots of pests if you provide suitable habitat. Nonchemical methods There are alternatives to chemical pesticides that can be very effective at controlling pests. Slugs can be a real problem, but avoid using slug pellets, as birds and hedgehogs can be killed by eating slug pellets or poisoned slugs. Try these instead: Make a barrier around susceptible plants from scratchy or sharp materials, like crushed egg shells, sand or gravel, which slugs don't like sliding over. Ashes or soot can be used instead as they dry up their slime. They also have an aversion to copper. You will need to maintain the barriers otherwise slugs will find a way through! Sink containers of beer or milk into the soil, with 12cm sticking out above ground. These need to be placed every metre or so. Slugs will crawl up and into the liquid and drown. Slugs come out in the dark, so go out at night with a torch and collect slugs. If you keep chickens, they make an excellent snack! Otherwise you'll have to kill them yourself, either by covering with salt or cutting in half with a pair of old scissors. Some other options for nonchemical pest control include: Handpick larger pests off plants. Pick off infested leaves to stop the spread of pests and diseases, or remove the whole plant if necessary. Don't compost it or leave it near other plants. Choose plant varieties that have been bred for resistance to pests and diseases. Grow plants suited to your soil type, sunshine and moisture levels. Plants will be healthier and less likely to succumb to pests and diseases. Enrich the soil with compost or manure. It helps plants to grow healthily and increases microbe activity in the soil, which is important for a healthy ecosystem. Companion planting The idea of companion planting is to use combinations of plants to reduce pests, or confer some other benefit. Some plants emit odours which repel the pests of crop plants. Others are so attractive to pests that they won't bother with your crop. Companion planting can be used to protect fruit and vegetables as well as ornamental plants. The general principles of companion planting are: Plant a variety of plants. Mix together fruit and vegetables, herbs and ornamental plants. Don't plant large areas with the same type of plant, as it will be a bigger target for pests. You may have to sacrifice some plants to protect others, but with a large variety of plants the damage by pests and diseases will be reduced. As well as reducing pests, companion planting has other benefits. For example, growing beans or peas fixes nitrogen in the soil which can be used by other plants to grow. Companion Planting Guide Plant Asparagus Carrots Chives Dill Garlic Hyssop Leeks Lettuce Marigolds Mint Nasturtium Onion family Parsley Radish Sage Sweetcorn Thyme Tomatoes Tomatoes Beans, peas, leeks, lettuce, turnips, onion family Carrots, tomatoes Cabbage family Roses Cabbage Beans, peas, carrots, turnips Carrots, strawberries Cabbage family, peas, potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce Cabbage Radishes, cabbage, cucumber, beans Carrots, beetroot, tomatoes, lettuce Beans, carrots, asparagus, turnips, tomatoes Spinach Carrots, cabbage family Beans Cabbage family Asparagus Benefits Why Kills nematode that damages tomato roots Reduces rust and thrips Combats fungal disease in carrots, keeps aphids away from tomatoes Attracts beneficial wasps that prey on cabbage pests Keeps aphids away from roses Diverts cabbage white butterfly Improves growth and repels carrot fly Deflects slugs, snails and rabbits Kills nematodes, repels whitefly and aphids, attracts hoverflies, diverts slugs Scent repels cabbage white butterfly Attracts many insects, particularly cabbage white butterflies. Flowers repel aphids and cucumber beetle Strong smell deters pests, especially carrot fly Repels a number of problem insects, improves vigour of tomatoes Attracts leaf miner away from spinach Scents drive away each other's pests Attracts beneficial insects that prey on bean pests Repels cabbage moths Protects against asparagus beetle Remember that diversity is the key. In a healthy garden ecosystem, pests and diseases are kept under control by predators, like beneficial insects, mammals and birds. Avoid using chemical pesticides and adopt alternative pest control measures to keep your plants healthy. 6. Homes for Wildlife Providing dedicated homes for wildlife is a great way of encouraging species into your garden. Birds, bats, insects, reptiles and amphibians can all benefit from shelter provided in gardens. Lack of suitable homes for wildlife has contributed to the decline of some species, so providing artificial homes in your garden is important for conservation. There are lots of different options for providing homes, so try a few and see what species you attract to your garden. The more different things you do, the more species you are likely to see. Nest boxes Nest boxes for birds provide a safe place for eggs to be laid and chicks raised. Different species require different kinds of nest boxes, which mimic the natural places they would chose to build their nests. Where: You should position the nest box 1.5 5m above ground level to protect from predators. Nest boxes should be sited so that they are sheltered from the wind and rain. They should be out of full sunlight, otherwise chicks can overheat and die. How: You can buy readymade nest boxes or make your own following the instructions below. Nest boxes need cleaning out annually to prevent the spread of disease. This should be done in autumn when there is no chance of disturbing breeding birds. Small openfronted nest box Species: robin, wren, pied wagtail, spotted flycatcher, black redstart What you need: any suitable wood, roughly 2cm thick, nails or screws to fix together, small piece of roofing felt (optional) Cut out the pieces of wood to make up the box as follows: Roof Back Side (x2) Floor / Front (x2) 15cm 15cm 15cm 15cm These need fixing together using nonferrous screws or nails. There is no need to hinge the roof as the box can be cleaned out through the open front. Attaching a small piece of roofing felt to the roof will improve longevity. Nest box for small holenesting birds Species: blue tit, great tit, coal tit, tree sparrow, pied flycatcher (28mm hole); house sparrow, nuthatch, lesser spotted woodpecker (32mm hole) What you need: any suitable wood, roughly 2cm thick, nails or screws to fix together, hinge (e.g. rubber or leather), small piece of roofing felt (optional) 30cm 18cm 30cm 20cm 11cm To make up, this is almost the same as the openfronted nest box. Cut out the roof, back, sides and floor as above and the front as follows: Front 18cm Hole diameter: 28 or 32 mm15cm Fix the pieces together using nonferrous nails or screws, apart from the roof. Attach the roof to the back piece using a hinge. Again you can cover the roof with a small piece of roofing felt. Bat boxes Bat boxes provide artificial roost sites for bats, which is important as natural roost sites are being lost. The construction is similar to a bird nest box, but the entrance is via a narrow gap at the bottom. Where: Bat boxes can be attached to walls or trees, at least 2m above the ground. The box should be clear of obstructions so that bats can fly in directly. The site should be sheltered and receive sun for several hours a day. How: You can buy a bat box or you can build your own following the design below. Make sure that the wood you use is roughly sawn so that the surface of the box is uneven and bats can crawl over it easily. Use only untreated wood, about 2cm thick. Cut out the pieces as follows: Roof Side (x2) Floor Front Back 5cm Groove 3mm deep, 28mm wide 15cm 15cm 15cm 15cm 15cm Fix the pieces together so that there is a 2cm slit at the join between the floor and back. This is the entrance hole for the bats. Bats are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which means it is an offence to disturb, handle or kill bats without a licence. If you know bats are using your box, you cannot take it down even if bats aren't present at the time. 20cm 9cm 14cm 20cm Insect homes You can provide beneficial insects, like solitary bees, ladybirds and lacewings, with a home in your garden. Bees are important for pollination and ladybirds and lacewings eat pest insects like aphids. Encouraging these insects into your garden by providing homes makes gardening easier too. Insects may use the home to shelter, breed or overwinter. 14cm 30cm Where: Place your insect homes somewhere dry and sheltered. If you want to make a `bug hotel' (see below) you should build it somewhere damp in dappled shade. How: You can buy a range of insect homes from garden centres or online. But you can easily make an insect home from waste materials and things around the house and garden. Drill holes into an old log. Make the holes different sizes to suit different insects. Tie together a bundle of hollow garden canes. As in the picture, you could combine the log and the canes and enclose in a wooden case to give even more protection. If you are feeling adventurous, why not make a `bug hotel' which will attract even more minibeasts? Use your imagination to build a stack of different materials, such as bricks, logs, hollow garden canes, planks of wood, stones, pine cones, corrugated card, plant pots, pipes, straw, dry leaves, moss and roof tiles. Reuse things you have lying around the house and garden. Make sure the bug hotel is stable and on flat ground. You can plant the roof with drought tolerant plants. Log and stone piles Leaving a loose pile of logs or branches provides habitat for all kinds of minibeasts including centipedes and beetles that eat slugs! Young frogs and newts may spend the winter within the log pile, as well as hibernating toads. Log piles are ideal for fungi, which break down the wood over time. Stone piles are used by invertebrates, as well as amphibians and reptiles. Toads may shelter in damp crevices and reptiles may bask on the stones in the sun. Both log and stone piles provide food for the birds and mammals which visit your garden. Where: Make a log or stone pile in a quiet corner of your garden, so wildlife won't be disturbed. Log piles are best somewhere shady and damp, like under trees or bushes. Stone piles can be placed somewhere shady or sunny. They will attract different species depending on their position. How: Making a log or stone pile is simple. Just loosely pile logs/branches or stones and wait for wildlife to start using them. 7. Compost Adding compost to your soil or using it as a medium for growing seeds and plants is very useful. It provides important nutrients for your garden, helping plants to grow strong and healthy. But do you know where your compost comes from and what it contains? Some commercial compost contains peat which is cut from lowland peat bogs, causing the damage and destruction of wildlife habitats as well as releasing CO 2 which can contribute to climate change. This guide will show you how to make your own compost and help you to buy environmentallyfriendly peat free compost. Making your own compost Making your own compost has lots of benefits it's free, it reduces the amount of household waste going to landfill and it doesn't require any peat, so precious peat bogs are protected. Where: You can make compost in a compost bin or in a pile covered with a polythene sheet. Site your bin or compost heap in a sunny or semi shaded position where you can access it easily. In a sunny position the compost will develop faster. It should be away from any watercourses or ponds as runoff from the compost can pollute the water. Your bin or compost heap should be placed directly on bare ground, rather than on concrete or paving. This is so that worms and other creatures can get in to break down the waste and turn it into compost. A typical compost bin How: To make good compost you need to use a mixture of `green' and `brown' items, otherwise your compost won't develop properly. `Green' items include: grass cuttings, kitchen waste (fruit and vegetable peelings, tea bags, egg shells etc), old flowers, annual weeds before they have gone to seed and coffee grounds. `Brown' items include: cardboard, egg boxes, fallen leaves, twigs/branches, scrunched up paper and sawdust. Some things should never be added to your compost: dairy products, meat, cooked vegetables, dog or cat waste, diseased plants and perennial weeds. You'll need to get the right mix of `green' and `brown' items otherwise your compost will be too wet or too dry. Young nettles or grass cuttings should be added to kick start the composting process. Turn your compost with a fork every few months to speed up the process by adding more air. Be careful when you do this because the heat of the compost can attract animals such as hedgehogs and slow worms. Depending on conditions your compost will be ready to The finished product use in any time between six months and two years. You'll know it is ready when it is brown, crumbly and sweetsmelling. Homemade compost is very rich in nutrients and best used as a soil conditioner. If you want to use your compost for potting, you will need to mix it with other materials like soil or sharp sand. Buying peat free compost Traditionally the composts that are available to buy contain peat. Peat comes from lowland peat bogs, which support rare wildlife communities. Once peat is removed from the bogs for compost, the habitat is severely damaged. Peat takes thousands of years to form so the habitat cannot recover quickly. In addition peat bogs act as huge carbon stores: as peat is formed it locks away the carbon dioxide that is absorbed by plants as they grow. But when the peat is extracted CO 2 is released back into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. Peat free compost performs just as well as or even better than compost containing peat. Instead of peat it uses recycled materials such as coir (from Peat bog habitat coconut husks), garden waste collected by the local authority and waste bark from the timber industry. And because peat free compost contains recycled material, it reduces the amount of waste going to landfill. Peat free compost is widely available at garden centres, DIY stores and online. Multipurpose compost and grow bags are available, as well as specialist composts for growing particular types of plants. Check the ingredients carefully to make sure it is 100% peat free as packaging can be misleading. You can also buy seedlings and plants grown in peat free compost. Leaf mould Leaf mould is easy to make and is useful around the garden. It can be used as a soil improver, mulch and lawn treatment. It's good to add some dried fallen leaves to compost as `brown' material, but too many would make it too dry. Making leaf mould is also a more environmentally friendly way of getting rid of fallen leaves in autumn, compared with burning. Where: In a shady corner of your garden. How: Collect up fallen leaves in autumn and place into a black bin bag. Use a fork to make holes in the bag so air can circulate and, when full, sprinkle in some water, shake and tie up. Leave the bag somewhere shady for a year and you'll be able to use the leaf mould as a mulch. If you wait another year the leaf mould is suitable as a soil conditioner. 8. Feeding the Birds Feeding the birds in your garden can be very rewarding. Putting out a variety of different foods can attract a wide range of species, which you have the opportunity to see up close. The food you provide can be valuable for birds, especially over the winter when food is scarce, but at other times of year too to supplement their natural diet. Food can be provided on a bird table, in hanging feeders or on the ground. It is also import to provide a fresh, clean supply of water for birds. Where: You can put hanging feeders on trees, brackets attached to a wall or special posts designed to hold bird feeders. A bird table can be placed anywhere, but it is a good idea to place is away from the house as more birds are likely to visit. If you are providing food on the ground, keep it away from areas of cover where cats can hide. Put your feeders or bird table somewhere they can be easily seen from inside the house, giving you a better opportunity of seeing what birds visit your garden. How: Feed peanuts in a wire mesh feeder. They are a great source of fat for energy in the winter. Never put out whole peanuts on a bird table as birds can choke on them. Sunflowers seeds and seed mixes will attract a range of species. Black nyjer seeds are good for attracting siskin and greenfinch. Remove fat balls from any mesh containers as birds can get their feet stuck in the mesh. Make your own by mixing lard with bird seed, grated cheese, raisins, peanuts or other suitable bird foods. You can fill an empty coconut shell or yogurt pot with the mixture. Refrigerate for about an hour before hanging outside. Mealworms can be bought live or dried and are ideal for insectivorous birds. Lots of food scraps are ideal for feeding to birds, but avoid putting out lots of bread as it has low nutritional value. Bacon rind, grated cheese, cake or biscuit crumbs and overripe fruit (e.g. apples) are good leftovers for birds. Never feed mouldy food to birds as it could cause respiratory infections. Leaving seed heads on plants in your garden will provide another source of seeds for birds in late summer and autumn. The higher number of insects in your wildlife garden will benefit birds too. Tips: If you have problems with grey squirrels eating your bird food, try using squirrelproof feeders. These allow small birds to access the food but keep squirrels off. Use a bird bath or place a bowl of clean water on your bird table. Change the water regularly to prevent spread of disease. In winter be careful that it doesn't freeze over. Clean out bird feeders and remove uneaten food regularly to prevent diseases spreading. Birds come to rely on a food source, especially in winter. So you'll need to keep up feeding once you start. Plants for a Wildlife GardenTrees and Woodland PlantsMedium trees and large shrubs Alder (Alnus glutinosa) Aspen poplar (Populus tremula) Bird cherry (Prunus padus) Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) Crab apple (Malus sylvestris) Elder (Sambucas nigra) Field maple (Acer campestre) Large trees Ash (Fraxinus excelsior) Balsam poplar (Populus balsamifera) Beech (Fagus sylvatica) Common oak (Quercus robur /Q. petraea) Elm (Ulmus procera) Hedging plants Alder buckthorn (Frangula alnus) Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) Crab apple (Malus sylvestris) Dog rose (Rosa canina agg.) Dogwood (Cornus sanguinea) Elder (Sambucus nigra) Flowers for under hedgerows Betony (Stachys officinalis) Birds foot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) Common dog violet (Viola riviniana) Cuckoo pint / lords and ladies (Arum maculatum) Garlic mustard / Jack-by-the-hedge (Alliaria petiolata) Greater stichwort (Stellaria holostea) Woodland edge plants Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) Bugle (Ajuga reptans) Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) Greater celandine (Chelidonium majus) Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) Lords and ladies (Arum maculatum) Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) Stinking hellebore (Helleborus foetidus) Climbing plants Black byrony (Tamus communis) Climbing brambles (Rubus fruticosus) Dog rose (Rosa canina agg.) Field rose (Rosa arvensis) Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) Ivy (Hedera helix) Quince (Cydonia oblonga) Wild clematis / old man's beard (Clematis vitalba) Hazel (Corylus avellana) Holly (Ilex aquifolium) Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) Silver birch (Betula pendula) Spindle (Euonymus europaeus) Yew (Taxus baccata)Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) Small leaved lime (Tilia cordata) White willow (Salix alba) Wild cherry (Prunus avium)Field rose (Rosa arvensis) Goat willow (Salix caprea) Guelder rose (Viburnum opulus) Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) Hazel (Corylus avellana) Holly (Ilex aquifolium)Hedge woundwort (Stachys sylvatica) Lesser celandine (Ranunculus ficaria) Primrose (Primula vulgaris) Red campion (Silene dioica) Self-heal (Prunella vulgaris) Sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata)Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum) Wild daffodil (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) Wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa) Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon)A bee feeding on the nectar of apple blossomAquatic PlantsPond Plants Submerged / oxygenators Common water starwort (Callitriche stagnalis) Rigid hornwort (Ceratophylum demersum) Water crowfoot (Ranunculus aquaticus) Whorled water-milfoil (Myriophyllum verticillatum) Floating Broad-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton natans)* Fringed water lily (Nymphoides peltata) Ivy-leaved duckweed (Lemna trisulca) White water lily (Nymphaea alba)* Emergent Amphibious bistort (Persicaria amphibia) Branched burr-reed (Sparganium erectum)* Mare's tail (Hippuris vulgaris)* Water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpiodes) Marginal Arrowhead (Sagittaria sagittifolia) Flowering rush (Butomus umbellatus) Marsh marigold (Caltha palustris) Water mint (Mentha aquatica) Marsh and bog plants Bogbean (Menyanthes trifoliata) Water cress (Nasturtium officinale)* Sedges (Carex spp.)* Yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus) * Meadow buttercup (Ranunculus acris) Water plantain (Alisma plantago aquatica) * Only really suitable for large ponds as can become invasive Curled pondweed (Potamogeton crispus) Spiked water-millfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) Water violet (Hottonia palustris) Willow moss (Fontinalis antipyretica)Floating sweet grass (Glyceria fluitans)* Frogbit (Hydrocharis morsus-ranae) Water crowfoot (Ranunculus aquatilis) Yellow water lily (Nymphaea lutea)*Bog bean (Menyanthes trifoliata)* Common reed (Phragmites australis)* Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) Water mint (Mentha aquatica)*Brooklime (Veronica beccabunga) Lesser spearwort (Ranunculus flammula) Water forget-me-not (Myositis scorioides) Water plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica)*Rushes (Juncus spp.)* Water forget-me-not (Myosotis scorpioides) Marsh St John's wort (Hypericum elodes) Lady's smock (Cardamine pratense) Greater birds foot trefoil (Lotus pedunculatus) Sneezewort (Achillea ptarmica)Marsh marigolds show a flash of early colour and provide shelter for frogsThe pinky-white flowers of bogbean emerge above the water to provide nectar to insectsYellow flag iris is useful to dragonflies and damselfliesWildflower Meadows and BordersSpring flowering meadow (mow from July onwards) Common birds foot trefoil (Lotus cornuculatus) Cowslip (Primula veris) Daisy (Bellis perennis) Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum) Lady's smock (Cardamine pratensis) Meadow buttercup (Ranunculus acris) Primrose (Primula vulgaris) Red clover (Trifolium pratense) Ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) Snake's head fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) White campion (Silene alba) Yellow rattle (Rhinanthus minor)Summer flowering meadow (mow `til June and again late September) Common knapweed (Centaurea nigra) Meadow cranesbill (Geranium pratense) Common poppy (Papaver rhoeas) Ox-eye daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) Devil's bit scabious (Succisa prat
Url: /en/PDFFiles/Countryside--Coast/Biodiversity/Wildlife-gardening-information-pack.pdf

Climate Change Programme Progress Report 2021-22

Description: Climate Change Programme Progress Report 2021-22
Url: /en/PDFFiles/Climate-Change/Climate-Change-Programme-Progress-Report-2021-22.pdf

Flintshire Constitution

Description: Council Constitution
Url: /en/PDFFiles/Democratic-Services/Flintshire-Constitution.pdf

Market Regulations & Bye-Laws - Open Markets

Description: Market Regulations & Bye-Laws - Open Markets
Url: /en/PDFFiles/Markets/Market-Regulations-Bye-Laws-Open-Markets.pdf

LDP-EBD-RE1 Renewable Energy Assessment Final Report 2019

Description: LDP-EBD-RE1 Renewable Energy Assessment Final Report 2019
Url: /en/PDFFiles/Planning/Evidence-Base-Documents/Renewable-and-Low-Carbon-Energy/LDP-EBD-RE1-Renewable-Energy-Assessment-Final-Report-2019.pdf

Arts Culture and Events - Annual Report

Description: Annual Report September 2009 – August 2010
Url: /en/PDFFiles/Lifelong-Learning/Arts-Culture--Events/Arts-Culture-and-Events---Annual-Report.pdf

Biodiversity - Lesson Plan

Description: Biodiversity - Lesson Plan
Url: /en/PDFFiles/Climate-Change/Events/Biodiversity-Lesson-Plan.pdf

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