Urban Wildlife Habitat Creation for Gardens and Green Spaces

Gardens and urban green spaces can provide vital habitat for wildlife including hedgehogs, birds, pollinators, and amphibians, with simple changes dramatically increasing the habitat value of private and public spaces.

Key Facts

Gardens cover over one million hectares in the UK, representing a significant potential wildlife habitat network
Wildlife-friendly gardening practices can support hundreds of invertebrate species in a single garden
Hedgehog populations have declined by 30% in rural areas but are more stable in towns and cities
Linked garden networks are essential for hedgehog movement, requiring gaps in fences between neighboring gardens
Ponds are one of the single most effective garden features for wildlife diversity

Welfare Considerations

Urban gardens can either support or impede wildlife welfare depending on management choices. Gardens using pesticides kill invertebrates that support entire food chains, while wildlife-friendly gardens provide food, shelter, and breeding habitat. Hedgehogs facing barriers from solid fencing, artificial grass, and tidily maintained gardens are isolated from mates and foraging areas, reducing their survival. Creating connected wildlife corridors through neighborhoods provides meaningful welfare benefits to urban wildlife populations.

What You Can Do

Create a wildlife pond, even small, to dramatically increase garden biodiversity
Install a hedgehog highway hole (13cm x 13cm) in your fence to allow hedgehog movement
Reduce or eliminate pesticide use and allow some areas of long grass and leaf litter
Plant native species that support specialist invertebrates better than exotic garden plants
Register your garden with the Big Garden Birdwatch or similar citizen science schemes