V presenter Chris Packham today called on gardeners in the South of England to lead the march to protect UK wildlife, calling gardens ‘the secret weapon’ against the decline of our native species.
Each spring the RSPCA sees a surge of calls about wildlife in trouble. Last year the charity was called to help nearly 102,000 wild animals – 11 every hour.
More than 27,000 of these animals were in the south of England alone – amounting to more than a quarter of troubled wild animals reported
Greater London is the area in the South of England which saw the most wild animals in need reported to the RSPCA – with 11,999 flagged to the charity’s emergency line last year; followed by Hampshire (3,321) and Kent (3,227).
The charity is this year using its garden at the iconic RHS Chelsea Flower Show to celebrate UK wildlife, and how people can help them in their own communities and green spaces. RSPCA vice president Chris Packham has said gardens are the secret weapon in the fight to protect wildlife.
He said: “Wildlife is under threat, but we all have the power to change that.
“Gardens are our sanctuary, but they are also thriving ecosystems providing homes, shelter and food for a huge range of animals. The area of all the gardens in England together is more than four times the amount of land in nature reserves*, so gardens are the secret weapon in saving our much-loved British wildlife from this devastating decline.
“Not only are people with gardens vital in protecting animals from common garden injuries like being hurt by strimmers, burned by bonfires, tangled in netting and drowning in ponds, but also they are critical in turning the tide of wildlife loss.
“There are about 23 million gardens in the UK* and if everyone had plants that feed and encourage wildlife, a simple bird feeder, a bug hotel or a log pile, it would help boost wildlife populations by billions. We can all do our bit to help wildlife this Spring and Summer and there are lots of really simple ideas on the RSPCA website which take minutes and cost next to nothing.”
The RSPCA has teamed up with award-winner designer, Martyn Wilson, to create a ‘stylish sanctuary for wildlife and people alike’, at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The garden celebrates how animals enrich our lives and how we can protect them – and aims to inspire the nation’s gardeners to do their bit for wildlife.
Designer Martyn Wilson from Cheltenham, visited an RSPCA specialist wildlife centre and took inspiration from its dedicated rehabilitation work in the design of his garden.
He said: “As the evenings get lighter and weather warms up people are starting to spend more time in the garden. But it’s also the time when the RSPCA starts to see an influx of calls to help wild animals.
“I’m a huge animal lover and it was incredible to see the specialist work the RSPCA does to rehabilitate animals like otters and seals – in some cases it can take months.
“It inspired me to include recycled plastic in the water feature at the centre of my wildlife-friendly garden design, a nod to the litter which traps and injures the animals the RSPCA cares for.
“The RSPCA Garden is modern and stylish and shows that wildlife gardens don’t necessarily have to be informal. I really hope people will be inspired to create their own wildlife sanctuary at home.”
The charity’s garden will also celebrate the RSPCA’s forthcoming 200th anniversary next year (2024).
The project is being generously funded by Project Giving Back, and the garden will be relocated at the end of the event to RSPCA Stapeley Grange, one of the charity’s wildlife rehabilitation and education centres, for visitors to enjoy the living legacy for years to come.
It will continue to provide sanctuary for wildlife, but also for visitors – including young people, families and vulnerable adults, who already visit the centre for support with emotional wellbeing and resilience. The space will bring essential animal welfare education to communities who have fewer opportunities to get out and about in nature.
Budding gardeners can find out how animal friendly their own green space is by taking the RSPCA quiz and get hints and tips on more they can do to encourage wildlife
