Let your gardens grow to encourage wildlife
PROVIDING diverse habitats for animals is being encouraged by the new Island Wildflower and Wildlife Garden Competition.
Judging commences on 16 July, with entries open until Friday 2 July.
‘Together, island gardens represent nearly a third of our land area,’ said competition founder John Ogier.
Declining biodiversity, threatened species and habitat loss make gardens significant areas of biological importance, he said.
Rather than being a parking space, Mr Ogier said that gardens can provide a creative, natural and communal area to positively impact wellbeing and the environment, but are under increasing pressure.
‘The great thing is that we can make our own contribution from our own back garden, whether that is a window box in a flat or a field space.’
Similar to the North, South and West show floral competitions, an island-wide garden version has been created with judging criteria to reap long-term benefits.
As a cause close to their hearts, the competition is supported by show leaders as well as the Pollinator Project, the Royal Society of Biology (Guernsey branch), Environment & Infrastructure, and the Guernsey Biological Records Centre.
Entrants are encouraged to keep a simple record in written, photographic or video form to create citizen science data on local wildlife, collated by the GBRC.
‘These records could ultimately help better inform and influence nature policies in the States of Guernsey.’
E&I president Lindsay De Sausmarez attended the competition launch and said the initiative was a brilliant idea.
GBRC manager Liz Sweet said the competition values gardens of all sizes, to the benefit of hundreds of thousands of species.
Gardens form a green corridor through urban areas, she said, which is a vital refuge.
Competition judge and Pollinator Project volunteer Andy Smith said the competition emphasises that healthy gardens include creatures as well as just plants.
Ogiers Ltd is sponsoring the competition.
The retailer’s director, Valerie Benoist, said the family-run business hopes to benefit the whole island to create wildlife havens to celebrate that wild can be beautiful.
Themes include natural diversity, sustainability, habitat creation with wild and indigenous flowers, and habitat for insects and invertebrates, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles.
Grow Ltd is supplying peat-free substrates and the Victorian Walled Kitchen Garden will be providing provide historic seeds.
n For further information about the competition, contact John Ogier at johnogiergsy@gmail.com or 235030.
n To enter the competition, contact Jacqui Williams on jacquilanoe@gmail.com or 07781 422380.
