Natural History Consortium member the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) has launched a new campaign to promote the amazing power of mini-wetlands, Media & Communications Officer Elliot Cassley explains…
Temperatures are soaring across the UK and many sources of water that our wildlife would have relied on for food, water, or even as a home, have disappeared but min-wetlands provide a lifeline for wildlife and we need to see more of them.
While the UK has seen 75% of its wetlands disappear in the last 300 years the need for new blue spaces is especially important in urban areas and we are calling on everyone living in towns and cities to make a big splash for nature and build their own tiny ponds, drainpipe wetlands and bog gardens in backyards and on balconies.
Blue spaces, no matter how small, could be key in helping combat the UK’s alarmingly low levels of biodiversity in cities and towns across the South West.
Unlocking the powers of wetlands
Mini-wetlands are like a little oasis for birds, bats, small mammals, insects and, of course, amphibians. When created in lots of different locations, provide vital wildlife corridors to help nature survive the summer and boost local biodiversity.
Wetlands support more life than any other habitat on earth, and mini-wetlands like ponds are often more nature-rich metre for metre than larger water bodies such as rivers and lakes.
Research has shown that these small wetlands in built-up areas can support similar levels of insect life to their rural counterparts.
By building mini-wetlands, like ponds, rain gardens and drainpipe wetlands, in your gardens, backyards and communities you will give nature the biggest boost possible because freshwater wetlands support more life per square kilometre than any other type of habitat.
Make a Big Splash for Nature
To help budding pond-builders, we have created a Make a Splash for Nature booklet and step-by-step videos to help create mini-wetlands anyone can build at home.
Mini-wetlands are only part of the solution and we’re also pushing for the creation of 100,000 more hectares of wetlands in the UK to help tackle the climate, biodiversity and health and wellbeing crises. Add your name to our Wetlands Can pledge today to help us achieve this.
More details about the mini-wetlands campaign can be found at wwt.org.uk/wetlands-can/mini-wetlands. And please do join us online @WWTWorldwide using the hashtag #WetlandsCan to share photos of your mini-wetlands.
