This summer the Council’s Conservation Section and partners are trying to encourage people to think about how they garden and do something positive for wildlife in their back gardens. The project aims to:

•   raise awareness of the importance of wildlife gardening for biodiversity in Carmarthenshire,
•   gather basic information about wildlife seen in gardens and how people garden in the county
•   encourage people to make pledges to incorporate wildlife features in their gardens - bird feeders, bird boxes, bat boxes, log piles, reduction on area of lawn cut, nectar-rich plants, etc.

There are estimated to be 15 million gardens in the UK, covering about 270,000 hectares – a vast area of land and potentially of enormous value to biodiversity. Together all these gardens, small and large, form a patchwork of habitats for wildlife. You can contribute to conserving and enhancing  biodiversity by making a few small changes, such as encouraging a wild area with weeds and dead wood to provide a food source and suitable habitats for invertebrates or by putting in a wildlife-friendly pond. Even a simple change can have a big effect (see peat article in this month’s newsletter) and together we could make a real difference.

Survey and pledge forms are available to fill in or download on line at www.carmarthenshirebiodiversity.co.uk and all those who make a pledge will receive a "I'm a Carmarthenshire Wildlife Gardener sticker!