Blooming for Biodiversity: My Takeaways from the latest Zero Hero Talk!
Our recent Zero Hero talk focussed on the vital role our gardens play in supporting nature and building thriving ecosystems, we're excited to share the highlights and practical tips that blossomed from the discussion. Nick Atherton from Project Wild CIC guided us through the often-overlooked potential of our green spaces, no matter how big or small, to become havens for biodiversity.
The evening kicked off with a quick-fire question: what's one small thing you already do for the environment? It was great to hear what everyone was up to. We had someone talking about their bird feeder and bird bath, a bug hotel (love that!), another who's the recycling champion in their house (we all need one of those!), and someone else who now uses washable facecloths instead of kitchen roll for cleaning the kitchen surfaces. We had lots of people who pick up litter, including a group from the Selby Womblers. Someone even used our very own compost tumbler in the St James’ Community Garden to compost their food waste.
The conversation then turned to the core message of the evening: the power of our gardens to become mini-ecosystems. Our speaker, a biologist with a passion for ecological gardening, explained how even small changes in our gardening practices can have a significant positive impact on local biodiversity. Nick really got us thinking about our gardens in a whole new light.
As Nick pointed out, the UK's biodiversity has faced significant decline in recent decades. Many of us, including Nick reflecting on his own childhood, have noticed a stark reduction in the variety and abundance of wildlife around us. Each generation, it seems, experiences a diminished natural world compared to the last. This loss, driven by factors like habitat destruction and changing land use, makes the role our own green spaces play in supporting remaining wildlife even more critical. We even commented how many less insects were seen on our windscreens when we’re driving compared to 30 years ago.
We learned that "gardening for wildlife" isn’t about endless weeding, but more about having a gentle touch and understanding how animals move and what they need; it's about adopting a "light touch" approach, understanding animal movements, and integrating ecological principles into our gardening. This involves creating spaces that not only look appealing but also provide food, shelter, and breeding grounds for a variety of creatures. It's about making our gardens less of a manicured showpiece and more of a welcoming space for all sorts of creatures.
Nick from Project Wild said “Addressing the decline in biodiversity starts at home, it doesn’t always require great big bold landscape changes! If we all do a little bit in our gardens and homes, like planting some wildflowers, creating a micropond, or creating wildlife corridors, we can collectively have a big impact.”
What really struck me was how even tiny changes can make a big difference. Someone mentioned they're planning to get more wildflowers to attract bees – a simple but brilliant idea! Another person talked about their compost bin, which not only cuts down on waste but also feeds their garden – a win-win!
The good news is that fostering biodiversity in our gardens is accessible to everyone.
Little Actions, Big Impact:
It wasn't just theory though; we got some really practical ideas:
Give Wildlife a Home: Just like that bug hotel, even a small pile of logs or a shallow dish of water can be a lifesaver for insects and other tiny creatures. A container filled with different herbs can attract pollinators.
Plant for the Buzz: Loads of us were keen on the wildflower idea to attract bees. Apparently, choosing different plants that flower throughout the year is like a constant buffet for bees and butterflies.
Embrace a Bit of Wild: Maybe leaving a corner of the garden a little less "done" can actually be a good thing, providing shelter and food for wildlife. While a tidy garden can be pleasing, consider the ecological value of leaving some leaf litter for overwintering insects.
Think Beyond Pretty: While flowers are lovely, it's also about thinking about what provides food and shelter – even some plants we might think of as weeds can be important! Nettles are a great source of food for many caterpillars.
Voices from the Event: What We're Inspired to Do
At the end of the talk, the energy in the room was buzzing with ideas! We asked everyone what small action they felt inspired to take to boost biodiversity in their own space. We had some fantastic responses, including someone promising to "Let Bob off sorting out the bad lawn for a month!" and another keen to "Fill the empty plant pot in my garden with loveliness – wildflowers!" Others were inspired to "Increase the variety of plants in my garden," "Plant in pots," "Make a hedgehog highway to my garden," "Build up a rock/log area in a dark, wet part of the garden," and even to "Allow plants to rot" – showing that sometimes a bit of natural decay can be a good thing!
Dreaming Big: Mini-Ecosystems for Selby
We also got to wave our imaginary magic wands and think about creating thriving mini-ecosystems right here in Selby. There were some brilliant ideas! One person suggested they’d like to "Sort out the pond on the ‘Field’ (the area between Sainsburys and Selby Community Centre)," pointing out what a wasted opportunity it currently is. The canal was mentioned as a place with potential for "clean water, biodiverse banks, and habitats." Other suggestions included creating "wild patches in the town centre and parks" and having "wild areas/patches everywhere across Selby," even suggesting "have pavements also (with accessibility) and increase variety." The idea of a "bridge of flowers from the park to the riverside" sounded beautiful, and someone even proposed having "a different ecosystem at each of the schools in the area (e.g., a small pond, wildflower area, log pile, bug hotel, etc.) so that schools can visit each other and share their results."
If We Had a Small Budget...
Finally, we asked what people would spend a small budget on to improve local biodiversity. The responses were really practical and community-focused. Top of the list for many was "Wildflower seeds" to brighten up our green spaces. Others suggested investing in "more composting equipment" and a "communal water butt." There was also a lovely idea to provide a "selection of local plant cuttings, pots, and peat-free soil to give to people for free and encourage them to share the cuttings as the plants grow," alongside simply buying "local plants." Practical solutions like "bug/hedgehog homes" and even "really good recycle bins" were also mentioned, as well as the straightforward aim of creating more "wildflower gardens" and "planting trees and bee-friendly flowers and plants."
For those looking to get started with plants and seeds, there's already a fantastic Seed and Plant Swap group on Facebook right here in Selby – a great way to share resources and connect with other local gardeners.
If any of these brilliant ideas for mini-ecosystems or local biodiversity projects have sparked your interest and you'd like to get involved in making them happen, please get in touch with the Our Zero Selby team! We'd love to hear from you and see how we can work together. You can also find out more about our ongoing projects, like our composting initiative at the allotments, by checking out other blogs and news articles.
The Big Picture: Why Biodiversity Matters
When we talked about why all this biodiversity stuff is so important, the main thing that came up was how everything is connected. As someone put it, "It's like a big web – if you pull one thread, it affects everything else. A healthy mix of plants and animals makes everything stronger and more resilient." Makes total sense, right?
This Zero Hero event was another eye-opener. It's easy to feel like the big environmental issues are out of our hands, but this talk showed how even the smallest garden can be a little powerhouse for nature. It's all about making those little shifts in how we think about our green spaces.
What are your favourite ways to help nature in your garden or local area?
And as always, keep an eye out for the next Zero Hero event – you never know what you might learn and who you might meet! You can find out more about past and future events on our Zero Hero page.