Stirling residents are being urged to take extra care over improvised heating and cooking methods amid the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis.
07.01.2023 - 08:07 / dailyrecord.co.uk
As we look to the year ahead, many Scots will be wanting to help our country’s stunning wildlife thrive in 2023.
Last year, some 52 per cent of the public said they wanted to take action to help nature. And Scotland’s nature agency are now saying that made a real difference in 2022, with garden birds flourishing thanks in part to rising use of bird feeders.
But it was still a tough 12 months for wildlife overall, with creatures and habitats both here and worldwide struggling thanks to nature loss and climate change.
NatureScot is launching its winter Make Space For Nature to encourage people to do their bit for their local environment. And as far as New Year resolutions go, finding more ways to help nature in your area could go a long way.
Here are NatureScot’s six top tips on how to do that.
1. LET AREAS GET UNTIDY
It might sound odd, but during winter leave alone areas of your garden which are overgrown or filled with leaves. That’s so insects, amphibians and small animals like hedgehogs can shelter or hibernate, giving them a quiet and cosy place to hide during the colder weather. In fact, the messier the better. You could even gather together more dead leaves, vegetation, log piles and twigs. These unkempt areas will be the perfect spot for visitors to wait out the winter. Also leave the borders and herbaceous plants in your garden intact with their seed heads. This is because many insects may otherwise “overwinter” in hollow stems - a type of hibernation which means the bugs are more likely to die, and typically lay fewer eggs.
2. LOOK OUT FOR LOCAL CRITTERS
Many Scots discovered the joys of taking a walk in their local beauty spots during the Covid lockdowns. There’s wildlife all around us, whether we live in rural or
Stirling residents are being urged to take extra care over improvised heating and cooking methods amid the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis.
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