Nature provides incredible benefits to people, from pollinating food crops and reducing flood risk to improving health and wellbeing. But space for nature is disappearing at an alarming rate. The latest State of Nature report revealed that in less than 50 years, 41% of all UK species have declined, largely as a result of human activity.

But with a little nurturing, nature can thrive in even the most unlikely places. Gardens, patios, balconies, allotments and communal green spaces are part of the solution. Domestic gardens cover an estimated 2-3% of the total surface area of the UK – almost twice the size of the Lake District! If we carefully manage these patches for wildlife, they can provide vital habitats for many of our declining species.