Urban domestic gardens (XI): variation in urban wildlife gardening in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Two consequences of the continued urbanisation of the human population are that a growing proportion of the landscape is less hospitable to, and that a growing proportion of people are disconnected from, native biodiversity. One response of the UK government has been to establish a goal, and an associated baseline indicator, of increasing the extent and range of public participation in gardening for wildlife. The formulation of policy to attain this end requires, however, insight into the factors that are associated with the level of participation. Here we examine the relationships, across 15 areas in five UK cities, between the proportion of households providing various garden features for wildlife or participating in various wildlife gardening activities, and housing densities and characteristics of the garden resource. We show that significant numbers of households participate in some form of wildlife gardening, but that the predominant form this participation takes is feeding wild birds. Key variables associated with spatial variation in wildlife gardening activities are the proportion of households with access to a garden and, more importantly, average garden size and the proportion of land cover by gardens. There was no evidence for strong effects of household density or the socio-economic status of householders on the prevalence of wildlife friendly features in gardens or on the participation by householders in activities to encourage wildlife. Our results suggest important considerations in attempts to increase awareness and participation in wildlife gardening.

The Amenity Value of English Nature: A Hedonic Price Approach

“…Despite modern trends, such as the paving over front gardens, it is increasingly recognized that domestic gardens provide crucial habitats for plant and animal species (Gaston et al, 2007). Indeed, gardening is thought to be one of the most commonly practiced type of physical activity in Great Britain (Crespo et al, 1996;Yusuf et al,1996;Magnus et al, 1979) with British households spending on average 71 hours a year gardening (Mintel, 1997).…”

A national scale inventory of resource provision for biodiversity within domestic gardens

“…This said, the extent to which wildlife gardening activities are undertaken, and hence the level of provision of important resources to enhance biodiversity, remains poorly documented (but see Cowie and Hinsley, 1988;Lepczyk et al, 2004;Gaston et al, 2005bGaston et al, , 2007Buczacki, 2007). In the UK, an assortment of estimates has been published for different regions, most frequently in the popular media, but seldom with any indication of how they were originally derived (e.g., Baines, 1985;Moss and Cottridge, 1998;Owen, 1991;Bevan, 2001;Packham, 2001;Ryrie, 2003;Burton, 2004;Glue, 2006).…”

Interactions between People and Birds in Urban Landscapes

“…1-km 2 study sites in Sheffield, selected to capture a variety of urban forms and neighborhood types: a city center area, a low-density outer suburban area, and a high-density residential area situated between the center and suburbs (see Gaston et al 2007 for further details). Of the questionnaires sent, 47.3% were returned (32.7%, 49%, and 61% in the inner, middle, and outer study areas, respectively).…”

“…Levels of bird feeding and other forms of wildlife gardening vary enormously across the human population (Lepczyk et al 2002(Lepczyk et al , 2004Gaston et al 2007). Landowners participating in bird-feeding activity in southeastern Michigan tended to be older, were more likely to be women, and had achieved higher educational qualifications than those not participating (Lepczyk et al 2004).…”