Wildlife Friendly Gardens

Create a wildlife-friendly garden and make a valuable contribution towards conserving Dorset's wildlife.

Making our gardens wildlife-friendly can help to form a vital patchwork linking urban areas with the wider countryside.
Garden acreage is at least five times that of all the nature reserves and national parks put together.
Climate change is a real threat for Dorset's wildlife and having safe havens with food and water all year round could help some of our more vulnerable species survive.

Garden Ponds

Ponds in the countryside are under serious threat from:

drainage and pollution
organic and chemical fertiliser run-off
pesticides and weed killers.

There are an estimated 2 million ponds in gardens nationwide and they are fast becoming the main haven for frogs, toads and newts. Not all gardens can have a large pond, but even a small permanent area of water can be very important for many animals.

Wildlife Friendly Garden Award Scheme

Set a good example to your neighbours and join our Wildlife Friendly Garden Scheme earning yourself a plaque to display on your gate, front door or a post in your garden.

Criteria for classification and award of plaque

Send in photographic evidence to show that you have five or more of the following to include at least one from each column A, B and C and you will be eligible for a plaque.

A: HABITATS	B: PLANTING	C: MANAGEMENT
Wildlife Pond	Wild flower Meadow	Log pile and/or substantial decaying tree stump
Bog or permanently wet area	Climbing plants/Trellises suitable for nesting and feeding	Compost Heap
Bird Bath	Nectar rich flower border and bushes	Long Grass area
Bird Box	Mixed Native Hedge	No-go area
Bat Box	Mature Native Tree	Slug pellet free

Keep records/photographs of the wildlife which visits your garden and send that in too.
Wildlife On Your Doorstep (link)
General recording forms (link)

Send photos and contact details for your plaque to:
Joy Wallis, People & Wildlife Co-ordinator, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Brooklands Farm, Forston, Dorchester, Dorset, DT2 7AA
or email digital photos to: