A new survey of 2,000 Brits from Thomson Environmental Consultants¹ reveals that the UK is increasingly concerned about the state and decline of wildlife in its gardens.
With this in mind, the ecology experts at Thomson share insights on which wildlife species are being spotted less frequently, the reasons behind their decline, and solutions for homeowners to encourage wildlife back into their gardens by creating safe and secure habitats where species can thrive.
Shockingly, most Brits report rare sightings or no sightings of native UK species in their gardens, including mice or voles (35%), hedgehogs (40%), badgers (71%), foxes (46%), deer (74%), bats (50%), reptiles (63%), frogs (51%), tadpoles (70%), toads (62%), and newts (73%).
Following this, Thomson asked participants why they believe wildlife is declining, and here’s what they said: habitat loss (50%), climate change (45%), pesticide use (35%), lack of food sources (34%), pollution (27%), predation/disturbance by pets (22%), and invasive species (22%).
Dan Reynolds, an environmental expert at Thomson, can confirm that these factors contribute to the decline in wildlife populations and highlight the impact of human activities on biodiversity.
Wider research supports this, highlighting that out of the habitats that are important for wildlife, only 14% were found to be in a good ecological state, including just 7% of woodlands and 25% of peatlands².
While many people express varying levels of concern about not spotting these species, some in the UK still state that they are ‘not concerned at all’ about the decline of wildlife in their gardens, and 8% aren’t willing to take any action to support habitats in gardens.
While environmental experts find this lack of concern discouraging, many Brits report that they would be willing to take action. Following Thomson’s suggestions, here are some simple steps homeowners can take to support wildlife conservation and restoration: installing bird feeders or nest boxes (48%), planting native plants (40%), leaving an area of the garden wild or overgrown (36%), reducing pesticide use (32%), installing other wildlife homes (27%), creating a compost area (23%), and creating a pond (20%). For more insight on building wildlife homes in your garden, discover Thomson’s new step-by-step guides for creating hedgehog homes, reptile and amphibian homes and bat homes.³
Dan comments: “While our new data and existing reports clearly show a decline in wildlife sightings and absolute population declines, there is hope in reversing biodiversity losses through habitat restoration, mitigating climate change, and adopting sustainable agricultural practices. While Government, local authorities and large corporations have significant opportunities to implement these changes, individuals can also make a positive impact by transforming their gardens into wildlife havens. By taking simple steps at home, such as planting native species and providing water and shelter, we can collectively and substantially restore wildlife and habitats across the UK.”
To learn more about wildlife and habitat conservation, please visit: https://www.thomsonec.com/news/the-state-of-uk-garden-wildlife-2024/
Sources:
- The survey conducted in July 2024 by Thomson Environmental Consultants gathered responses from 2,000 nationally representative participants. The survey aimed to assess public perceptions and behaviours regarding wildlife conservation in the UK.
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology
- Downloadable guides created by Thomson Environmental Consultants: