How to boost biodiversity on housing estates and in communities

1. Try to establish what exists on the site already, then you know what you’re working with. It is fairly uncommon to find sites that have no biodiversity at all. For sites with significant amounts of existing vegetation, it is advisable to get an ecology survey carried out.

2. Ask the ecologist (if a survey is being carried out) or the local biodiversity officer whether there are any particular species or habitats of which you should be aware in the local area. It may be that you can provide new habitats for endangered or priority species, and protect or expand on important habitats. As well as helping the local authority in meeting its biodiversity action plan, this could become an amenity value for the new development.

3. Wherever possible, ensure that new areas of planting are next to existing vegetation. With biodiversity, the continuity of habitat is more important than the total area.

4. Often built structures or the artificial lighting associated with built areas can create unnecessary barriers to the movement of animals, so be aware of this and try to create routes for biodiversity through the site. Talk to your architect about what is possible.

5. If there are opportunities for new planting on the scheme, consider making all the plants edible. This includes fruit trees (which require soft landscape below), nut trees, berry bushes, salad and vegetable plants.

Pioneers in the US have created ‘edible estates’. While previously the landscape was little more than a maintenance burden; after the transformation the land looked far more appealing, contributed to community cohesion, promoted healthier lifestyles and supported a much wider variety of biodiversity.

6. If you are creating a green roof try to maximize its value by making it accessible. This will give it the best chance of surviving any cost cutting and ensure that it is valued in the longer term. Think carefully about the plant species used. A mix of plants, gravel areas and some locally collected deadwood (for insect life) tends to create the best conditions for biodiversity.

7. Consider involving an artist. There are now many interesting contemporary artists working with ideas that relate to ecology and biodiversity. The ‘Arts and Ecology’ programme from the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce is a good example.

8. As well as those vitally important existing roosting and nesting opportunities, think about the proactive provision of opportunities for birds and bats. Many of these species that enhance our built environment and bring pleasure to those that live in their proximity can be helped with the incorporation of some of the tailor-made products. In doing so, you may be helping a priority species as well as making a more enjoyable place to live.

9. Involve the local communities with the monitoring of their wildlife. Existing projects have shown that not only does that help with community cohesion, but it is also a healthy outdoor activity. Increasing awareness of wildlife could also result in valuable information being collected on species found in an urban environment.

10. Encourage wildlife-friendly gardening. Gardens have been increasingly been lost to tarmac drives over the years, yet gardens can play an incredibly important role in biodiversity protection as well as rainwater retention and flood prevention.

By Michael Pawlyn, consultant to Grimshaw Architects, Dr Carol Williams, project officer at the Bat Conservation Trust and John Alker, head of advocacy at the UK Green Building Council. All three are members of the UK-GBC’s biodiversity task group, which recently reported on biodiversity and construction. See www.ukgbc.org

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