There is increasing appetite to maximise the benefit of our surrounding spaces in providing for wildlife. Here we have collated links to available resources which provide advice and guidance on increasing and identifying biodiversity. These resources contain advice and examples from the agricultural scale, to our shared public spaces, as well as gardens and small areas.
Habitat creation and management
Planning and Interpretation
- Nature in Carmarthenshire: Our approach for local action 2020-2030 Part 2 (carmarthenshire.gov.wales)
- Carmarthenshire County Council’s overview on ideas for surveying, planning and developing biodiversity improvements, with links to resources. (Cymraeg)
- It’s for Them campaign (gov.wales)
- Interpretation resources for spaces to communicate that changes in management are for biodiversity improvements. (Cymraeg)
Grasslands
- How to make a meadow with native wild flowers (plantlife.org.uk)
- Plantlife’s two-page guide to creating meadows with native plants. Includes information about how to create and enhance meadows, a timeline for managing meadows, how and when to mow and what plants to include. (Cymraeg)
- How to make a wildflower meadow by Trevor Dines (plantlife.love-wildflowers.org.uk)
- Includes information on where to manage for meadows, considerations such as light and soil type, plants to grow in different soil types and how and when to mow meadows.
- Managing Grasslands for Nature: A Guidance Note for Farmers and Landowners (magnificentmeadows.org.uk)
- Wildlife Trust’s guide on grassland management, targeted at farmers and landowners. Includes information about the importance of grasslands, grazing and how grazing could affect grassland areas, stock densities in grassland areas and mowing.
- Plantlife Meadows Hub (plantlife.org.uk)
- The hub for in depth advice on meadow development and management from Plantlife. (Cymraeg)
- Grassland management for bumblebees (bumblebeeconservation.org)
- Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s advice and guidance, including factsheets on managing wildflower meadows and pastures, as well as grassland restoration and creation. The factsheets provide information on how to manage grasslands to benefit bumblebees (e.g. cutting meadows in late summer and removing clippings, avoiding fertilisers and spreading manure, grazing in spring and late summer/autumn, cutting some meadows in late September, leaving uncut strips for flowers to grow, stopping summer grazing or light grazing with cattle, rotational grazing and introducing seed to permanent grassland).
- Grassland gems: managing lawns and pastures for fungi (plantlife.org.uk)
- Plantlife’s tips on managing short turf grasslands for their fungal biodiversity.
- How to Make a Meadow (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s one-page guide to creating, maintaining and mowing mini-meadow areas in gardens.
- Say no to the mow – a mini-meadow in your garden (plantlife.love-wildflowers.org.uk)
- Plantlife’s guide to creating a wildflower meadow in a garden.
Road verges
- Plantlife Road Verge Hub (plantlife.org.uk)
- The hub for in depth advice and case studies on road verge management from Plantlife.
- Managing grassland road verges: A best practice guide (plantlife.org.uk)
- Plantlife’s detailed guide for highway managers, road engineers, operations managers, landscape architects and other people involved with creating and managing grassland road verges. The guide includes information about the importance of grassland verges for pollinator conservation and maintaining/improving biodiversity, assessing current biodiversity on road verges, improving wildflower diversity on grass verges, which plants should be included, maintaining existing species-rich grass verges, managing competitive and problem species without eradicating the species entirely and monitoring the verges. (Cymraeg)
- The good verge guide (plantlife.org.uk)
- Plantlife’s guide to the different type of road verges in the UK and grass verge management. The guide provides information about why road verges are important for maintaining biodiversity, species that may be included on road verges, when and how to cut and mow grass verges, information about who is responsible for maintaining verges in different areas, controlling invasive and competitive species, advice for the general public about what they can do to improve grass verges and additional resources for people to learn more about road verge management.
- Managing Transport Corridors For Pollinators (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s guide to managing road edges and more for pollinators, covering grasslands, hedges, wet areas and more. Seasonal plant recommendations are given. (Cymraeg)
Woodland
- Managing Woodland for Pollinators (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s guide to managing woodland for pollinators, including recommendations for woodland edges, rides, coppicing, deadwood and more.
- Woodland management for butterflies and moths (butterfly-conservation.org)
- Butterfly Conservation’s resources for managing woodland for butterflies and moths, including how specific management can benefit woodland butterflies and moths of concern.
- Woodland: Tailored advice on managing land for pollinators
- DEFRA factsheet providing information about managing woodlands for pollinators including what pollinators need, the importance of woodland sites for pollinators, what landowners can do to improve woodland sites for pollinators and how to provide nesting sites and habitats.
Brownfield
- Managing brownfields for scarce bumblebees (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife explain the importance of wildflower rich brownfields, lists important plants which are found in brownfields, describes threats to bumblebee populations and explain how to create and manage habitats for bumblebees.
- Brownfield, quarry and industrial land management (bumblebeeconservation.org)
- Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s factsheets on brownfield, quarry and industrial sites. Factsheets include information about nesting habitats, what to plant, what to consider when planting and when to plant different flowers. One factsheet (managing brownfield and industrial land) includes a timeline for managing land for bumblebees.
Urban green spaces
- Making greenspace for bumblebees (bumblebeeconservation.org)
- Guide for community groups, housing associations, local authorities, schools and organisations to develop a bumblebee-friendly green space. The guide includes information about choosing a site for the green space, securing funding, designing the green space, safety, accessibility, plants to grow, building nests and hibernation sites, sourcing environmentally friendly materials, public consultation and how to involve members of the local community in the project.
- Parks and Green Spaces (mycommunity.org.uk)
- Resources to support communities in protecting, managing and improving their local parks and green spaces.
- Green Infrastructure Action Plan for Pollinators in South-east Wales
- Detailed report on managing green spaces for pollinators and includes actions on how to benefit pollinators through the management of publicly owned green infrastructure.
- Healthy for Bees: Healthy for People: Managing the grounds of public buildings for pollinators (naturalresources.wales)
- NRW’s guide for public authorities and organisations about managing communal areas to support pollinators. The guide includes information about why pollinating insects are important, threats to pollinating insects and ways to support insects using community green spaces. The guide includes information about the important principles. The guide also includes ways of engaging local people in wildlife management schemes. (Cymraeg)
- Creating Green Roofs For Invertebrates: A best practice guide
- Buglife’s overview of creating green roofs for invertebrates, including case studies and a review of the key research.
Gardens and gardening
Tree planting
- Tree Planting Check List | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- An Introductory Guide to Young Tree Establishment (trees.org.uk)
- Arboricultural Association’s guide to young tree establishment which covers why, where and what tree to plant and how to care for them.
- Arboricultural Association – Posters on tree establishment (trees.org.uk)
- Arboricultural Association’s resources including poster summaries on tree planting and how to maximise long-term success.
- Tree species handbook: A technical guide for practitioners (woodlandtrust.org.uk)
- Woodland Trust’s guide to aid selecting tree species which are appropriate for a site.
- Tree Species Selection for Green Infrastructure (tdag.org.uk)
- The Tree and Design Action Group’s guide to improving species selection for towns and cities.
Wildlife-friendly gardening
- Wildlife Gardening Forum’s How to Guides
- Resources covering a wide range of topics on wildlife friendly gardening.
- Gardening For Pollinators | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Our bilingual booklet with tips for making a garden friendly to pollinators and wildlife.
- Gardening for hoverflies | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Ideas for attracting hoverflies to your garden, including advice for a hoverfly lagoon. (Cymraeg)
- Gardening for Bugs (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s website explaining the importance of pollinator friendly gardens with an annotated image with ideas to improve biodiversity in gardens.
- Gardening for bugs leaflet (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s guide to creating deadwood piles, bug hotels, ladybird and lacewing hotels, bee hotels and habitats for worms and other insects.
- Get gardening (butterfly-conservation.org)
- Butterfly Conservation’s resources on why butterflies and moths are important and explains about the threats to butterflies and moths. Gives advice about making gardens suitable for butterflies and moths.
- Bring back our beetles (wildaboutgardens.org.uk/)
- The Wildlife Trusts’ and RHS advice on how to support beetles in gardens, including how to build a beetle bank and a dead hedge.
Pollinator nesting sites
- How to create a Bee Bank (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s guide to creating habitats for solitary mining bees. Includes information about locations for nesting sites, how to make the bee bank and how to maintain the bank. Also includes information on how to create nests for leafcutter and mason bees. (Cymraeg)
- All about bee hotels and how to make your own | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Information on bee hotels for solitary bees and detail on different types of solitary bees and the types of habitats they live in. It describes different ways to build a bee hotel with attached instructions on a few examples and also options to buy for the garden. It then gives advice on how to maintain the bee hotel and attract bees to your garden. (Cymraeg)
- Establishing a bee hotel (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s guide on the key factors to consider with a bee hotel and information on the bees and wasps that may use a bee hotel.
Being peat-free
- It’s time to go peat-free | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Provides information on the use of peat-free composts for gardeners including why they are important, gives a list of peat-free materials and compost products and advice on how to grow plants which are peat-free. It also gives information on buying the right products and to avoid products labelled with ‘reduced peat’. (Cymraeg)
- Saving Pollinators Assurance Scheme | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Suppliers of peat and pesticide free plants in Wales (Cymraeg)
- Peat-free gardening tips and making peat-free compost (plantlife.love-wildflowers.org.uk)
- Plantlife’s information about why peat shouldn’t be used, how to make peat-free compost, ways to reduce peat use in gardens and plants that can be grown without peat.
- Peat-free gardening (rhs.org.uk)
- RHS information about why peat bogs are important, the role of peat bogs in controlling climate change and what gardeners can do to reduce peat use in their gardens and in local communities.
- Peat-free growing media (rhs.org.uk)
- RHS information on the importance of peat bogs, why they should use peat-free compost in their gardens, alternatives to peat and how to choose peat-free composts when buying compost from local shop and garden centres.
Growing from seed
- Success with seeds | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- A beginner’s guide on how to grow plants from seed. (Cymraeg)
- Successful seed saving at home | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Tips on saving seed from your garden, including when and how to harvest. (Cymraeg)
- Successful seed storage at home | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Tips on creating the best conditions for storing seed at home. (Cymraeg)
Growing food
- Social Farms & Gardens Case Studies
- Examples of projects using community horticulture to produce food, improve wellbeing and increase biodiversity.
- Urban gardening calendar | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Leaflet with ideas for crops suited to small spaces and a guide for when to sow, plant and harvest throughout the year (Cymraeg)
- B-friendly to your veg (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s leaflet on using allotments to support pollinators. Encourages people to avoid chemicals and pesticides and to use natural methods to control pests (e.g. using netting and planting flowers with scents that will repel pests).
Native plants
- Wildflower Garden plant selector | (plantlife.love-wildflowers.org.uk)
- Plantlife’s resource which allows people to select the type of plants they want in their garden, the amount of light available, the season that they want to grow plants in and the location type of their garden to receive recommendations of plants that would be suitable for their garden.
- Wildflowers and plants for a wet or damp part of the garden | (plantlife.love-wildflowers.org.uk)
- Plantlife’s list of native plants that can be grown in wet areas.
Plants for pollinators
- Create a special spring haven for pollinators | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- 10 recommendations for spring plants for pollinators from the Botanic Garden’s scientific research. (Cymraeg)
- Planting guide for community and gardening groups (bumblebeeconservation.org)
- Bumblebee Conservation Trust’s guide on plants for bumblebees in public green spaces. Includes the name of the plant, the colour of the plant, when to plant, appropriate locations for the plants and flowering time.
- Garden flowers for bumblebees (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s list of flowers which can be planted to improve biodiversity and support bumblebees. The list notes the season and which are native.
- How to attract bumblebees to your garden (wildlifetrusts.org)
- A list of bumblebee friendly wildflowers to support bumblebees in gardens.
- Gardening for butterflies (butterfly-conservation.org)
- Gives advice about how to attract butterflies to gardens and provides a list of plants that are suitable for butterflies.
- Gardening for moths (butterfly-conservation.org)
- Butterfly Conservation’s guide to making gardens more suitable for moths including a list of larval food plants and nectar plants.
Ponds
- Bug-friendly garden ponds (buglife.org.uk)
- Buglife’s guide on how ponds can benefit wildlife and how to create and maintain a pond.
- Big or small, ponds for all (wildaboutgardens.org.uk)
- The Wildlife Trusts and RHS’s booklet on pond creation, with recommendations for planting.
Ecology and species identification
General
- Species Identification Resources (sewbrec.org.uk)
- SEWBREC’s collation of 100s of videos, taxonomic keys, species lists, and other resources covering different species groups, including plants, invertebrates, fungi, mammals, birds and more.
- Get Started With Wildlife Recording In Your Garden | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- An overview of the importance of biodiversity recording and how to start recording. (Cymraeg)
- iRecord
- Website and app for making biological records which contribute to a UK wide database.
- LERC Wales App
- Local Environmental Record Centre Wales app for biological recording. Records go to the Biological Records Centres, which provide biodiversity information for environmental decision-making.
- Aderyn – Biodiversity Information & Reporting Database
Plants
- Woodland Trust’s A-Z Guide of British Trees (woodlandtrust.org.uk)
- Twigged: A guide to your trees through the season (woodlandtrust.org.uk)
- Leaf shapes poster | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Bilingual poster on the different leaf shapes you can see for Welsh tree species
- National Botanic Garden of Wales bilingual photo guides on wildflowers to spot through the year:
Invertebrates
- Species Checklists | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Bilingual checklists for common species of hoverflies, bumblebees, butterflies and moths.
- Where are all the bees? | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Explaining the lifecycle of bees and what happens in the winter. (Cymraeg)
- Here be dragonflies | National Botanic Garden of Wales
- Overview of the lifecycle of dragonflies. (Cymraeg)