top of page
Search

Habitat creation for blue tits is now a legal requirement

Fiona Lydon

Housing developers and town planners now have a new legal requirement to make sure any development projects—like building homes or roads—don’t just avoid harming the environment, but actually improve it. Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) came into force a year ago and aims to leave nature in a better condition than before. This could mean things like planting more trees, creating new wildlife habitats, or restoring damaged areas.


It works in several ways:


Checking the local wildlife: Before starting, developers look at what plants, animals, and habitats are in the area.

Fixing any damage: If the development harms nature (like destroying habitats), developers need to make up for it by fixing or replacing the damage.

Adding more benefits: After fixing the harm, developers must do extra things to improve biodiversity, like adding more green spaces or protecting wildlife.

Keeping track: The improvements are monitored over 30 years to make sure they last, although I think this part of the plan needs beefing up as it seems almost voluntary to maintain improvements.

While it’s often talked about in the context of large-scale development projects, the principles can be used in smaller-scale projects like gardens too. In garden design, achieving biodiversity net gain means creating a space that supports a variety of plant and animal life, especially native species, and contributes positively to the local ecosystem.


Here are some of the ways that we can apply the principles of Biodiversity Net gain in a garden setting.


Creating Habitats: Include features like hedgehog houses, bird boxes, ponds, or insect hotels to support different types of animals and insects. Opening up gardens to visitors is also crucial; wildlife corridors and entrances to gardens allow wildlife to move safely while on the hunt for food and shelter.

Planting Native Species: Native plants are adapted to the local environment and provide food and shelter for local wildlife like birds, bees, and butterflies.

Reduce or eliminate pesticide use: Avoiding harmful chemicals helps to protect pollinators and other beneficial insects. This can be achieved by not planting susceptible plants, encouraging predators such as hedgehogs

Water Management: Creating rain gardens or using sustainable drainage systems helps manage water runoff while supporting plants and animals that thrive in wet environments. Good water management in a garden is critical for all sorts of reasons, so this is always part of a garden design.


It’s a subject I’m passionate about and I’m delighted there’s a legal framework now. We love working with clients who care about the wildlife in their gardens, so if you’re considering a garden design and this is something you’d like to know more about please get in touch.

0 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comments


Fiona Lydon garden design

07966 558696

Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire

  • Instagram
  • Facebook

©2024 by Fiona Lydon garden design. Garden designer for Hertfordshire.

bottom of page