Many of us know how we can make changes to help wildlife as individuals, at home, in our gardens – some of our previous blogs have some great suggestions to help get started.

But sometimes our small actions can feel like they won’t make much difference. However, added together, individual and community efforts can build a thriving network of habitats for plants, animals and insects, in both urban areas and the countryside.

The ‘Lawton Report’, published in 2010, was an independent review of England’s wildlife sites and has had a huge impact on national policy since publication. It continues to influence the Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan today, calling for a step change in how we approach wildlife conservation. One of the key recommendations has almost become a mantra for nature restoration and conservation: “More, bigger, better, joined”.

More – create new spaces for wildlife to thrive.

Bigger – extend existing areas which are currently used by wildlife.

Better – improve the way areas are managed to make them even better for wildlife.

Joined – connect sites together by creating wildlife corridors or ‘stepping stones’.

Although the report was looking specifically at existing designated sites, recognised nationally or at a county level for their importance for nature conservation, these same principles apply to the spaces we make for wildlife in our own local areas. While individual wildlife-friendly gardens are good, the benefits for wildlife within them increase more rapidly if they are connected with other wildlife-friendly spaces nearby. These then form a network of habitats which can provide a range of different resources.

Most animals and insects need lots of different resources at different times of year and for different parts of their lifecycle. Thinking about how habitats can connect and be linked together so that they can access the resources they need is really important. It’s not necessary for one small space to provide absolutely everything either, if it can be connected to other areas which provide different resources.

For example, hedgehogs have a huge home range and can travel up to 3km per night foraging or searching for mates. Perhaps a hedgehog would need to travel through several back gardens to get to yours, so if just one of those did not have gaps for them to travel through, there would be no connection to the valuable habitat they need. They also need suitable shelter and plentiful foraging opportunities in the wider neighbourhood, so if there is not enough for them, they might not be able to thrive, even if they can get around.

Of course, space for wildlife in towns and villages doesn’t just include gardens.

Road verges can be managed to provide better opportunities for wildlife. Many are managed by local Councils as well as communities and individuals. There might be opportunities to engage with those responsible for these verges to identify changes in how often they are cut and increase the diversity of flowers and grasses, providing a better food source and for longer.

Other areas where wildlife can be made welcome include churchyards and cemeteries. Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Living Churchyards Project can support groups and communities working with their churches  to identify ways they can better support wildlife. Churchyards can be particularly important for uncommon plants and insects if the ground has remained undisturbed for a long time.

Parks, and recreational green spaces are also key areas where there may be opportunities for enhancing the potential for wildlife. Of course, all these areas need to be managed to provide functional spaces for people. But perhaps an edge can be kept more wild, suitable native flowering plants, trees and shrubs can be encouraged or features such as bug hotels, log piles or compost heaps can be added which all help to make just a bit more room for nature. Our Wildlife-Friendly Space Awards are also available for community and public spaces which are being managed to support wildlife – do encourage those responsible for management of these spaces to apply for a plaque.

Other green spaces in our communities which can make more space for nature and provide stepping stones for wildlife might include school grounds, allotments, shared gardens for blocks of flats, outdoor areas associated with village halls, libraries etc.

As the Lawton Report identified, thinking about corridors and connectivity must be an integral part of how we create more space for nature in the long term. In order that wildlife can move freely through our countryside, lots of small spaces which add up to make a linked network of stepping stones can really make a difference. Encouraging others to take action in their own spaces and linking up your efforts to identify opportunities in community is key.

To do just one thing for wildlife this summer, try connecting with others to make a positive difference to a space outside your own garden or home.

Our Wildlife-Friendly Open Gardens event from 23 May – 9 June is the perfect opportunity to get inspiration from others and connect with like-minded nature lovers. If you have friends or neighbours who want to make a difference but don’t know how to get started it’s a great way of getting some ideas so encourage them to go along too!

The work of the Wilder Communities team has been supported by South Western Railway's Customer Community Improvement Fund and The National Lottery Heritage Fund