Somerset Wildlife Trust is encouraging the public to see their gardens and outdoor community spaces as potential habitats for wildlife.

There are an estimated 124,500 gardens in Somerset — as well as ancient churchyards, school grounds, allotments, and other outdoor spaces — and they can all be hugely important for nature. We are currently facing a global climate and nature emergency, with many of our species in a significant state of decline. However, by making a few simple changes to our gardens and community spaces, we can create vital stepping stones for wildlife and allow them to play a necessary part in restoring and reconnecting habitats as part of a much bigger Nature Recovery Network.

Making our outdoor spaces more beneficial for wildlife can be simple. Suggestions from Somerset Wildlife Trust include adding hedgehog holes to fences, building swift boxes, creating pollinator-friendly window boxes, and leaving patches of your grass to grow wild. There are so many ways you can make an impact in your garden or community space, and as Bryony Slaymaker, Wilder Communities Manager at Somerset Wildlife Trust, explains, every small action can add up:

"Evidence has proven that if we can get 1 in 4 people taking visible action for nature, we will reach a social 'tipping point', and the majority will be encouraged to do the same. This means that by doing something great for nature and then telling someone else about it, you can help put nature back into recovery. Together we have the power to change, and we call this 'Team Wilder'".

To encourage more people to make a difference for the wildlife in their gardens and outdoor spaces, Somerset Wildlife Trust is hosting a number of initiatives and campaigns that you can get involved in this year:

• Wilder Gardening Awards: Your garden, whether big or small, can be a safe place for nature to thrive. Welcome wildlife into your garden by providing food, shelter, and water, and by following the advice on the Somerset Wildlife Trust website. You can then join other Somerset gardeners by signing up for a free 'This is a Wildlife Garden' plaque that you can show off to your friends, family, and neighbours! See if your garden is eligible here: www.somersetwildlife.org/garden
• Working Together for Wildlife Awards: This year, Somerset Wildlife Trust is pleased to launch a new series of awards which recognise the importance of working together to reach that critical mass of 1 in 4 people, and connect up our gardens, parks, allotments, and churchyards to Somerset's Nature Recovery Network. If your community is able to work together for wildlife and take action for nature across your gardens and outdoor communal spaces, you can now apply for an award for your street, village, or town! Find out more about what's involved here: www.somersetwildlife.org/team-wilder/wilder-communities
• Wilder Open Gardens: If you already have a wildlife-friendly garden, you can help inspire others to make room for wildlife by hosting a Wilder Open Garden. This is a chance to show off the amazing things you've been doing for nature to your friends, family, and neighbours, while also raising vital funds for wildlife at the same time. Find out more: www.somersetwildlife.org/wilder-open-gardens
• Going Peat-Free: Peatlands are vital habitats for wildlife, and it's important they remain intact to help tackle climate change. Unfortunately, peat extraction is still taking place in Somerset, and a vast amount of extracted peat is turned into compost. Somerset Wildlife Trust urges the public to go peat-free in their gardens by opting for peat-free compost or making their own compost at home!
• Wilder Lawns: This year, the Wildlife Trusts have partnered with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to call on gardeners to reimagine their lawns. When left to grow long, lawns can help mitigate flooding, capture pollutants, and provide important shelter for wildlife. Gardeners can help by reducing the frequency of mowing to once every 3-4 weeks, allowing small patches of their lawn to grow wild, and planting pollinator-friendly wildflowers. More advice can be found here: www.wildaboutgardens.org.uk

Our gardens can have an extremely positive impact on Somerset's wildlife when managed with nature in mind.

Somerset Wildlife Trust are asking the public to look at their gardens in a new way this spring, and whether it's by adding a bug hotel to your garden, making your own DIY pond, or by getting involved in one of their initiatives, they are urging everyone to start taking action for nature this year.