Britain’s wildlife has declined by 19% since 1970. But we can help bring it back by making our gardens more nature-friendly.
That's why Greening Westbourne, a local environmental group, is offering free garden items to Westbourne residents, to help create new wildlife homes and habitat.
Materials on offer include nest boxes (for hedgehogs, bats, garden birds, owls or swifts), pond liners, wildflower seed, young trees and hedge plants.
The main funding for the project comes from Chichester District Council, which has set money aside to help nature in the area’s ‘strategic wildlife corridors’.
These are vital spaces that allow animals to find food, breed and move from place to place. The Westbourne corridor links the South Downs National Park to the coast, following the River Ems and including most of Westbourne village.
A map of the corridors is at www.chichester.gov.uk/article/36769
To apply for free garden wildlife improvements, Westbourne residents should email greeningwestbourne@hotmail.co.uk and include their name, address and phone number, and details of materials they’d like or a wildlife project they’d like help with. Or they can drop a note including the above details through the door of Trudgetts Cottage, almost opposite Westbourne Co-op.
The items must be used within the Westbourne wildlife corridor or next to it, and within the Chichester District Council boundary. Residents are being urged to apply ASAP, and before 31 March, as resources are limited. Westbourne Parish Council has also supported this project.