This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A new study by Chester Zoo and Nottingham Trent University scientists revealed that just over a third (38%) of more than 230 householders in Cheshire and North Wales were willing or able to introduce more wildlife-friendly features to their gardens. The study, recently published in People and Nature, analyzed responses from people asked whether they would incorporate ponds, "overgrown" areas, hedgehog highways and other features to support wildlife, in addition to any they had already created.
An estimated 88% of UK residents have access to a garden, and as towns and cities expand, these spaces are becoming increasingly important to the survival of native plants and animals. Lead researcher Kelly Hitchcock, a Ph.D. student in Nottingham Trent University's School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences and one of Chester Zoo's Conservation Scholars, said, "With the amount of promotion you see of these features, like ponds and hedgehog homes, I expected people would be happy to do these things. It was quite surprising how many people weren't, even when they were pro-nature.
There are barriers—sometimes out of their control—that stop them." While many studies provide evidence of the positive impact of wildlife-friendly features and products, this is a rare attempt to investigate whether people are implementing them and, if not, why. The questionnaire asked respondents how likely they were to add 10 specific wildlife features, including log piles, birdbaths and compost heaps. The authors analyzed why respondents might be reluctant to include them, looking at their capability, opportunity and motivation.
The study showed that the biggest barriers were a lack of space, concerns about pets and worries about how to build or maintain the feature, while the features least likely to be adopted were compost heaps and ponds. People were most often willing to sow wildflowers. "Even if someone wants to rewild their garden, it really restricts them if they don't have the space, and current trends toward hyper-dense housing may be contributing to this," Hitchcock said.
"The data suggest we can't rely on individuals to make wildlife-friendly changes at the scale needed. These features need to be built into urban planning and policy." Dr. Leah Williams, lead conservation scientist at Chester Zoo and coauthor of the paper, said multilevel policy changes were needed to tackle urban biodiversity loss, which also has physical and mental health implications for humans.
She said: "We'd still encourage people to do what they can, whether that's planting wild native flowers in a window box or creating a mini-pond in a bucket. Both will make a difference. "You can also look into community schemes, like the Networks for Nature project, which aims to link up habitats in Cheshire.
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