The idea of a Community Nature Reserve is to encourage local gardeners and allotmenteers to allocate at least three square yards of their land for wildlife-friendly plants, ponds and insect lodges. This way we can develop a “community nature reserve” composed of many pieces of private land, but between which insects, birds and other wildlife can fly and develop sustainable biodiversity.
Things we encourage people to have in their 3 square yards are:
- Pollinator-friendly plants
- Plants with berries
- Wildlife ponds
- Hedgehog homes, hedgehog tunnels
- Insect lodges
- Hedges
To measure the impact of Debenham’s Community Nature Reserve on local biodiversity we are trying to map the difference it is making. We have started by mapping local sightings of hedgehogs and where there are hedgehog tunnels, so please do tell us about your hedgehogs.
Most people understand that wildlife populations in Debenham are falling, and this is a simple way that we all can help to improve biodiversity in our village.