Over one in ten native species of plant and wildlife in Britain are facing extinction, and about half are in decline according to the latest analysis of the state of wildlife in our country today.
Is Britain's Wildlife facing Extinction?
Over 50 plant conservation and wildlife organisations pooled resources to create the State of Nature report, monitoring almost 10,000 species from plants and lichens to birds and butterflies.
The report found that 56% of UK species have declined since 1970, with 15% in danger of disappearing altogether. The coalition blames a range of factors, but says agriculture and climate change are the most important. Some creatures, like the Dartford warbler and Comma butterfly, are benefitting from climate change as they extend their range to areas of the UK much further north than previously. But species adapted to life in colder areas are suffering: dormice, for example, have become increasingly rare.
Your Garden Can Play a Key Role in Saving Britain's Wildlife
However it’s not all bad news: the report says the decline in Britain’s wildlife can be halted, and your garden could play a key role. Britain’s estimated 16 million gardens are an increasingly important refuge for creatures whose traditional habitats are disappearing: by gardening organically and encouraging wildlife with simple measures like bird feeding stations and bee hotels you can help them survive.