Your Countryside needs you

Some comments made on Springwatch recently sparked some thoughts. Simon King has been in Dorset looking at various habitats and the wildlife they provide a home for.

One area that interested me was the meadow areas. How wonderful they look adorned with flowers giving vital food supplies to butterflies, bees and other insects. But for how long, there is a down side; these old style flowers meadows are fast disappearing. Before too long there may not be any left and that would be dreadful; not only for the wildlife but for us too.

Changes in way we live have caused the loss of these rich and diverse habitats. Perhaps going back to a more traditional method of managing our land would be better, less intensive management thereby allowing nature to flow through the land.

Perhaps the place to start is your own personal space. Rather than have everything neat and tidy, leave an area to the wildlife, let the weeds grow, plant some wildlife flower seed. We are having a great time in our own garden this year. We planted a wildlife flower mix and now take delight in watching what flowers are emerging and the insects they attract. By leaving the garden slightly less tidy and allowing nature to take its course; we have been presented with beautiful plants, watched baby birds being feed in our trees and enjoyed the sound of bees buzzing around the garden.

Finally, the recent announcement of £2 million from the Lottery funding for nature projects is great news. I do hope these projects are well supported and that the initial euphoria is not lost and people continue with their support for many years to come. In that way we may save some areas of our countryside to enjoy now and for future generations too.