This week we have seen the latest figures about the fact that 60% of British wildlife species have declined in the last 50 years with one in ten facing extinction. There is a lot that we can do in our gardens to offer wildlife an inviting and safe habitat to thrive in, and go some way to protect the vulnerable species. What’s more certain wildlife can help us keep more harmful creatures at bay, as ladybirds eat aphids, and slow worms, frogs, toads, hedgehogs and birds like to eat slugs and snails among other garden pests.

As we’ve mentioned before log piles and a little bit of mess in your garden provides the perfect place for hedgehogs to nest and enjoy a variety of bugs and beetles, as well as slugs and snails. Frogs are almost totally dependent on garden ponds; even a bowl of water will encourage them into your garden. Just a word of warning though, if you want to create a garden pond, make sure it’s in a sunny spot and the sides are gently sloped so that birds can bathe and drink, amphibians can spawn and hedgehogs can escape if they happen to fall in.

If everyone did a little bit we could all make a huge difference to our wildlife and maintain the balance of nature. You don’t even need a large space to create a wildlife haven. Hanging a variety of seeds from bird feeders from window ledges or fences will mean that birds always have a safe place to stock up which will protect them from cats and other predators.

We provide many events throughout the year for families to come and learn about protecting wildlife in the garden.

Entries for Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Friendly Garden Competition 2013 which we are sponsoring close today and we will be holding the awards at Castle Gardens on 1 August 2013.

Mike