Native species are declining in the UK because their natural habitat is being lost to busy roads, construction sites and farmland. Creating a wildlife friendly space in your garden offers native wildlife refuge and connects you to nature.
Choose plants that attract birds and insects. Add a pond to your garden, or a birdbath on your patio, to attract birds. Connecting your outdoor space with other gardens creates 'wildlife corridors' that help animals move safely between natural habitats.
Timber from well-managed forests will have the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or the PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification) labels. These certificates help you find timber that isn't contributing to the destruction of the world's forests.
Peat has traditionally been dug up and used as fertiliser, but the destruction of thousand year old peat bogs, is threatening special wildlife habitats and releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Peat bogs act as a great store of CO2, so it's best to leave them untouched.
- Always choose certified timber
For you: Buy wood products with FSC or PEFC labels to guarantee peace of mind that it isn't sourced from illegal logging.
For the planet: Forests are the lungs of the planet and need to be looked after so they don't disappear. Buying certified timber helps regulate the responsible logging of forests. - Attract wildlife with plants
For you: Choose colourful plants for your garden making it beautiful for you while also attracting wildlife. Butterflies and bees love lavender and birds love sunflowers.
For the planet: Bees play a vital role in our natural food chain, but their numbers are in decline. Attracting bees to your garden will help them to continue pollinating plants. - Bird watching
For you: There's great pleasure to be had from the sight and sound of birds in your garden, having bird baths, feeders or nest boxes will encourage them to stay.
For the planet: House sparrows love being near people and in city centres, but they are becoming very rare in the UK. You can help them thrive by providing food and sheltered nesting sites at home. - Choose recycled
For you: Feel good by helping to prevent waste. You can find all sorts of recycled goods for your home, from doormats made from car tyres to tumblers made from recycled glass.
For the planet: Buying these products. puts your recycling to good use. It also means less mining, less transport, less energy and a better planet. - Go peat free
For you: Choose peat free compost and fibre pots to make sure your garden is not accidently causing the destruction of wildlife habitats elsewhere.
For the planet: Peat free compost is made from garden waste that's diverted from landfill sites. This means less waste, better gardens and healthier wildlife. - Pond life
For you: Attract nature's pest controllers with a small pond. Water boatmen, frogs, newts, diving beetles and dragonflies live on the pests that eat your plants and veggies.
For the planet: With 50% fewer public ponds today than fifty years ago, some pond animals are on the rare species list. A pond turns your garden into their new home. - Let's go wild
For you: Native species need your help. Sow British native wildflowers like Forget–Me-Not and Cornflowers for a beautiful, British garden.
For the planet: Wild spaces are getting rarer and rarer. A small, wild patch of garden attracts wildlife. Nettles attract butterflies to lay their eggs. Overgrown areas make great places for mammals to breed and hibernate.
B&Q is proud to be a member of the British Beekeepers Association and is keen to support declining honey bees. 
Apple tree blossom provides both nectar and pollen for bees in your garden – choose a dwarf variety if space is at a premium. You'll also be able to enjoy the apples later in the year.
The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) is a leading conservation organisation saving wetlands for wildlife and people across the world. www.wwt.org.uk
