When it comes to environmental issues, there is a growing pressure on businesses to do everything they can. Not only to prevent more damage from being done but to proactively repair their local environment too. It’s not just customers who are putting this pressure on businesses either – government legislation is adding to it too, which can all lead to businesses not knowing where to start their environmental journey. But if your business has grounds of any kind, then a great place to start is your biodiversity. Not sure what that means? Here are a few small steps you can take.
Why Is Biodiversity Important In Commercial Premises?
Biodiversity is all about the different kinds of life you can find in one area. Every life form from fungi to insects and animals, plants and even bacteria. All of them work together within an ecosystem that supports life, providing everything we need to survive.
In the 1980s, business parks become popular in the UK, and these large, purpose-built facilities could host multiple businesses. Creating these properties was a stroke of genius, but there’s no denying the environmental impact they had. At the time not much thought was given to it, but now business owners and facilities managers are more aware than ever of their environmental responsibilities.
Create Rewinding Zones
Rewilding is an important part of improving biodiversity – but for most businesses having their grounds neat is also important. That’s why having a dedicated, space for rewinding often works best. A rewilded area is simply an area of space that has been left to go back to nature completely – it’s not even mowed, You can help it along by scattering native seeds, and providing habitats for animals and insects. These natural areas filled with native plants make great habitats for a diverse range of wildlife.
Install Habitat Support
Within your grounds as a whole (not just rewinding areas), consider installing habitat supports for native species. This includes things like setting up Out, bird and bat boxes in trees to allow them to rest and nest, as well as placing insect hotels around your grounds. These don’t have to be fancy or expensive – in fact, you can create them from recycled items collected from the building! These are small changes, but for creatures who are struggling with habitat destruction, it can make all of the difference.
Consider What You Plant
Most business parks, care homes, hotels and other commercial businesses will hire some form of grounds maintenance (either internal or external), and one of their jobs will be to Manage and plan the plants within the grounds. If you’re on a mission to increase the biodiversity in your grounds, what you plant plays an important role. Planting a lot of trees, shrubs and flowers that are food plant species is the best way to go. ‘Food plant’ species are those that provide pollen, neater, foliage, seeds and fruit that attract and support wildlife.
Create An Edible Garden
This tip combines biodiversity with employee wellbeing, and depending on your space it can be a fantastic addition to your grounds. An edible garden simply means you create growing areas within the grounds with raised planters, and encourage employees to grow vegetables and herbs. This promotes healthy living, mindfulness and general wellbeing, as well as adding more plants for insects to pollinate and habitats for other animals.
Putting biodiversity at the centre of your grounds maintenance strategy, you can make a very real and measurable difference to your local environment. And if you’re not sure what to plant or where to start, you can always chat with one of our friendly team. All of the gardeners at Pod Landscapes are experts in all things plants, and can help you decide the best options for your budget and maintenance requirements. For more information, just get in touch with the team today.
