Five things you can do to help wetlands
Create your own pond
Wildlife needs water, so bring wildlife to you by giving them a lovely pond. You’ll attract animals like frogs, dragon flies and pond skaters. Check out WWT’s guide to creating a pond and our advice on native UK plants for ponds.
Volunteer
Got some time, and either some skills or plain elbow grease to offer? Whether it’s gardening, engineering, admin or you simply enjoy meeting people and helping them have a great day out, have a look at the current WWT volunteering opportunities at your favourite WWT wetland centre.
Go peat free
Peat wetlands store more carbon in the soil than rainforests do. They store a third of the world’s total despite only taking up 3 per cent of the world’s surface. So ask for peat free compost at your local gardening supplier – the RHS has advice on using peat free compost.
Fight invaders!
The UK’s wildlife is under constant threat from plants and animals transported from abroad. Wetlands are especially vulnerable to species like the zebra mussel and water primrose. You can help slow down the invasion by choosing and disposing of plants carefully, and cleaning seeds and eggs from water sports equipment before moving to another water body.
Disconnect your drainpipe
Rain flowing off everyone’s roofs can overload our drains and cause flooding. But you could direct the drainpipe into a garden or pond instead so that the water can nourish wildlife and make your property a great place to be (even window boxes in a flat can become a mini-wetland). Find out more. Many water companies even offer you a discount if your water doesn’t flow into their drains.
