Find out how to welcome wildlife to your outdoor space

Education, Environment, Homepage

From prickly predators (also known as hedgehogs) to prolific pollinators including bees, birds and butterflies, given a little help, they can all thrive in our gardens and outdoor spaces and are important in maintaining balance and continuity in our natural world.

Local residents in Buckinghamshire can sign up for a free series of online talks, starting from next week, on how to welcome wildlife into their own outdoor spaces. The talks are being hosted by the Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) and form part of the Wild Aylesbury Vale project being run by a group of six Buckinghamshire Council community boards. The Wild Aylesbury Vale project is a partnership between the boards and BBOWT, Chiltern Rangers and the mental health charity, Lindengate.

Over the course of four weeks, residents in the community board areas of: Aylesbury, Wendover & Villages, Haddenham & Waddesdon, Wing & Ivinghoe, Winslow & Villages and Buckingham & Villages can find out all about the types of animals and insects that can thrive in gardens and both urban and rural green spaces and how to encourage them through planting, growing and nurturing these areas.

Talks will take place via Zoom with participants able to ask questions and advice from the experts at BBOWT. The talks will cover:

  • Introduction to Wildlife Gardening– An overview of why gardening for wildlife is important and how you can make your garden or outdoor space more wildlife friendly.
  • Hedgehogs– Find out more about everyone’s favourite prickly predator!
  • Pollinators– Pollinators are a vital part of our wildlife but they need our help. Find out more about why pollinators are important and how you can help them.
  • Ponds– Find out more about creating a pond for wildlife in your garden

 

Although open to anyone to attend, the talks have been arranged as part of the Wild Aylesbury Vale Project competition which was launched last month. The competition is open to individuals as well as schools, parish and town councils and community groups. Entrants are asked to design and create a wildlife habitat around the three core elements needed to sustain wildlife: water, food and shelter. Entries can be as small as a window box or container to a larger green space or garden.

To sign up for to the talks click on the relevant link:

 

  • Haddenham and Waddesdon (Mondays, 7.30pm: 17 May, 31 May, 7 June, 14 June)

https://bbowt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1oaufWEQQaavNpij1nnNdg

 

  • Aylesbury and Wendover (Tuesdays, 7.30pm: 18 May, 1 June, 8 June, 15 June)

https://bbowt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_rQlWispgTpG01qA-etUwfw

 

  • Wing and Ivinghoe (Wednesdays, 7.30pm: 19 May, 2 June, 9 June, 16 June)

https://bbowt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MwqFdHdfQDmZve0pF5_8XQ

 

  • Winslow and Villages (Thursdays, 7.30pm: 20 May, 3 June, 10 June, 17 June)

https://bbowt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Y4ultndzR32sJ-0riLm8jg

 

  • Buckingham and Villages (Fridays, 7.30pm: 21 May, 4 June, 11 June, 18 June)

https://bbowt.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_q6JIIwTWSYijp41kgi4g7g

 

For those who are unable to tune in live, the talks will be recorded so can be watched later. The talks will be the same in different areas so if you live in Buckingham but Fridays don’t suit you can register for one of the other areas on a different day.

Ed Turpin, Community Wildlife Officer at BBOWT said: “This is a great opportunity for people to gain advice and tips on how to create their own wildlife haven. Our team of experts here at Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust really know their stuff and can answer questions and give helpful advice on all manner of topics. We can’t wait to share our knowledge with local people through this programme of talks.”

To find out more about the Wild Aylesbury Vale project and competition visit our website.