The UK was once entirely covered by woodland, and wood has been the natural habitat for many diverse wildlife species. By the 1930s, half of that habitat had disappeared, and with it, the populations of vital insects are declining.
We can help reduce this decline in our own gardens by recreating the natural woodland world that these species love.including moss, fungi, insects and many other invertebrates. It will also provide an ecosystem that attracts small mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds that will visit to feed on the insects.
One simple pile of logs can quickly become a flourishing wildlife community, creating a whole nature reserve at the end of the garden.
To find the right logs to create a wildlife habitat, the best place is to ask friends and neighbours who are having tree work done. Contact a local tree surgeon and see if you can have some logs and even wood chippings. Logs with the bark on are best because many creatures live underneath it.
Simply stack logs of different sizes on top of each other. Stop them rolling away by driving a stake into the ground on both sides. Keep the wood damp by burying the lower logs a few centimetres into the soil. You can also water the pile with the hosepipe if it looks dry. Site the log pile away from living trees and shrubs, because decaying wood may harbour bacteria and disease. And choose a semi-shady spot – too sunny and the wood will dry out.
It helps to place the log pile near a pond so it will provide a hibernation spot for frogs and toads. Plus they can feast on some of the insects that live in the log pile too.
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