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Nature recovery

Nature and biodiversity this autumn

Raised vegetable beds in a community garden

The days are getting shorter. The leaves are beginning to turn orange, red and gold. Autumn is a busy time for wildlife. Hedgehogs look for a place to sleep. Please check your bonfires before you light them! Birds need extra food to keep warm. The good news? Your family can help with lots of small, easy things. Some don't even need you to lift a finger!

Leave it a bit messy

  • Make a leaf pile. Rake fallen leaves into a corner. Hedgehogs and other bugs love to hide and sleep in them.
  • Build a log pile. Keep twigs and branches from pruning. Stack them up. Newts, beetles and other bugs will snuggle in for winter.
  • Make a bug hotel. Reuse old wood, sticks and pine cones to give insects a cosy home.

Food and water

  • Fill the bird feeder. Seeds and grains give birds the energy they need to stay warm. You could try growing your own sunflower seeds.
  • Top up the bird bath. Birds need fresh water to drink and wash. Check it often, as it can freeze.
  • Add a small water dish or pond. Keep it shallow with rough edges or a ramp, so any bug that climbs in can climb out.

Plant for the spring

  • Plant spring bulbs. Choose native bulbs that bees love, like bluebells. Buy them from a garden centre, never dig them up from the wild.
  • Plant a tree. Autumn is a great time. One apple tree can be home to birds, moths, spiders and beetles.
  • Clean or put up a bird box or bat box. Small birds or bats may shelter there on cold nights.

Get out and get involved

Go for a family nature walk and spot the birds you see. You can share your sightings using apps like iRecord or eBird. This helps experts keep track of local wildlife. You can also join in with local groups. Wiltshire Wildlife Trust runs events for all ages, like tree planting. Locally, Great Green Bedwyn brings people and farmers together to help nature and the climate. Sign up to their newsletter to see what's on offer. You could also volunteer to help maintain a local footpath or nature space like Jones Mill near Pewsey.

Small things add up. If every family does one thing this autumn, our gardens and green spaces can become a big, safe home for wildlife.

Ideas for activities