trying to create diverse wildlife habitat and need advice

[tots1968]

Hi, I don't know whether I have put this thread in the right place so pleae excuse me if I have.
I am secretary of our local conservation group but we are disbanding due to lack of volunteers and a dispute we can not win with our local council (they want us to pay through the nose indefinitely and agree in a contract with very unreasonable terms to maintain an area created by them, under mitigation measures to relocate great crested newts due to their building work - I guess the idea is to get rid of us, let it turn to brush, let the newts die then they can build on the land). So, we are getting rid of our funds, some is going to a group making a wildflower meadow and orchard, the rest, we are donating to a local hotel on condition they match fund it and spend on enhancing their 'nature area'. Anyway, as we are having an input into this, we want to put as many suggestions to them as possible. So far there exists, a pond with newts and fish - I didn't know they could co-exist as I thought the fish ate the newt babies but I don't much to be honest!! The pond's edge is full of yellow iriss. There is potential for a wild flower meadow, there are some mature trees including a few oak and some silver birch. The hedging is hawthorn. The 'soil' is clay and slightly alkaline. The location is semi rural in Cheshire. I would be grateful for any advice on plants,insects, flowers, hibernaculums, how to bring in new species of all creatures etc. As the business is a hotel, the grounds have to look attractive even as a nature area. The manager likes the idea of bat boxes, as do we, but it crossed my mind they may leave a pile of droppings outside the box which would not look very good for a hotel and would possibly be seen as a health hazard(?). Please could you let me know any ideas you have. Cheers Amanda

[Gill Catton]

Sounds like an interesting project!!

Bat droppings underneath a bat box won't be a problem, the droppings are very dry and delicate and break down very quickly in our weather. You could design a sculpture and put in suitable crevices and holes to suit nesting birds and bats and invertebrates - this would draw people over to a wildlife area too.

a second fish free pond is a good idea - fish and newts do co exist, but diversity is greatly increased with no fish - more dragonflies etc....

nightshade has a good link for finding wild plant species suitable for your postcode (which I had saved as a fav on my work pc and not here) - I'm sure he'll put it up again here when he sees the thread! With regard to planting schemes I would go for variety and careful sourcing the more local the better.
Other wise a variety of bird boxes, owl boxes etc. maybe benches with toad houses built underneath.

Avoid lighting if you can, especially around the pond as this may prevent aquatic invertebrates (and other invertebrates) from breeding successfully as newly hatched adults become quickly fixated on the light rather than breeding.
oh and what about one of those willow arbour things, that would look fab with a bench in at a hotel!!

[tots1968]

Thanks Gill, those are some brilliant ideas, love the idea of the sculptures, willow arbour and toad boxes - all things I would never have thought of. I wondered about a second pond too but I don't know whether they would go for that as they have already had to fence off the pond they've got due to health and safety. Brill news about the bats 'byproducts', I had a vague memory of a couple on the telly who had zillions of bats in their roof and a big pile of bat poo outside they didn't know what to do with, they seemed a little miffed!!! If the box(es) were put in the right location it sounds like it would not be a problem which is great

[Gill Catton]

Darlington - Darlington Brick Train History

This obviously isn't anything like the scale of a sculpture you'd probably be installing but thought I'd put it up because it has bat bricks in it that provide access to the hollow interior for bats.

Also you might want to bare in mind accessibility to cats when locating entrance holes for bird or bat boxes