There is a world-wide massive decline in all types of animals and plants. As man’s numbers explode the natural environment is being decimated. The loss of habitat, bush-meat, deforestation, road-kill, pollution and pesticides has taken its toll globally.

There is also a decline in our own wild-life. Birds that used to be common are becoming scarce. Animals that used to be a regular sight are not becoming extinct. The hedge-hog, barn owl, hare, slow-worm and dormouse are just a small number of those at risk.

Insects and other invertebrates have declined by a staggering 56%. These are the food for many of our birds and mammals.

They too are subject to the same problems as the larger animals abroad.

• All too often the first instinct of anyone finding an insect, snake or rodent is to kill it.
• Hedges, trees and areas of natural vegetation are being scrubbed up for industrial farming or just to make places look tidier.
• Pesticides are deployed in huge amounts. They indiscriminately kill all insects and deprive the larger animals of food.

There are things we can do:

1. We can protect the trees and hedges around us so that birds and animals have somewhere to nest and insects have something to eat.
2. We can educate our children so that they see that all life, even the spiders and insects, is to be wondered at, respected and treated with love and care.
3. We can stop using pesticides on our gardens.
4. We can leave wild areas with various plants and rotting wood, slates and rocks for insects to have a home.
5. We can set up nesting boxes for bats, birds and mammals.
6. We can set up feeding stations.
7. We can plant flowers that provide nectar for insects.

Then we can sit back and watch the butterflies, bees, birds and other wild-life proliferating in the oasis you have provided.

Conservation starts at home. It’s the small things that count! We can make a difference! Help build a new positive zeitgeist!