With yet more seasonal changes upon us, we thought it was time to bring you our annual winter wildlife blog. Enabling nature to thrive through winter can make a significant difference to nature’s success the following year. This year, we’ll be sharing some environmental tips and tricks, alongside an insight into why this continues to be important to us.
Caring for the Birdlife During The Winter Months
Our commitment to nature generally started with birdlife. This is why we continue to be passionate about ensuring these amazing creatures thrive no matter the season. However, we know that being mindful of the challenges posed through winter is imperative to their survival.
Changeable weather and fluctuating temperatures generate several difficulties for birds: habitation, hydration and alimentation. As landowners, we’ve committed to developing a biodiverse landscape with rich habitats. We’ve found that this enables the birds to create their own spaces from natural materials. Even so, bird boxes are also popular for providing environments for birds through the colder months. At The Sign Maker, we are home to several wildlife ponds that we aim to maintain through winter. Nevertheless, providing regular fresh water in dishes is just as valuable and necessary.
The best advice on feeding the birds throughout winter can be found via the RSPB. Their resources are updated frequently, providing us all with the latest information on maintaining bird feeders and stocking up with the right food for the birds in our individual spaces. The RSPB Community is also incredibly active, so your unique questions can be explored with other birdlife enthusiasts!
Habitat Restoration
While many of us think to feed the local wildlife during the changing seasons, there is something to be said for planning ahead on habitat restoration. Restoring habitats has been an ongoing process for our senior team onsite since we moved onto Yelland Farm. Kate and Shaun have carefully considered growing native hedgerow and berry baring shrubs for the benefit of the site’s inhabitants. While you may like to consider planning ahead for wildlife provisions in winter, there are many ways that you can make your garden winter wildlife friendly for the upcoming season.
- Keep a range of water sources available. Whether gently melting away an icy patch within a pond, or providing a birdbath, hydrating garden visitors makes a significant difference to their survival.
- Allow your garden to naturally find its rhythm. You can do this by leaving patches of growth, leafy heaps, or log piles. These are all areas where nature can build its own home. It sounds counterproductive to embrace an unkempt garden, but wildlife can use these natural resources for nest building and habitation.
- Utilise resources that are proven to be good wildlife enablers. Example may include a hedgehog home, bird boxes, insect houses, and feeders. You could choose to build one of your own!
Transforming your garden into a sanctuary for woodland wildlife can make all the difference to the survival of native species’. That being said, these kinds of activities can also be a great way to engage with the natural world. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or mindfully navigating the season ahead, we’d recommend making space for wildlife this winter.
The Sign Maker’s Environmental Ethos
While primarily we are a sign manufacturing company, we like to approach business ownership in a unique way. A significant part of that is our environmental work and sustainable development – both of which have been central to the The Sign Maker since our start up over twenty years ago. Being situated in rural North Devon, we are surrounded by reasons to advocate nature. We are also called to put our environmental passion into action.
Earlier this month, we were invited to the Devon Women In Business Awards Evening. Joyously, we were recognised with a Highly Commended certificate in the Eco-friendly Business Category for our continued commitment to the environment. This recognition is a wonderful testament to the dedication of our senior team, but it has also inspired us to maintain our environmental work to a high standard.
The Sign Maker wouldn’t be the business that it is today without our environmental efforts. The ethos that underlines these endeavours is the same ethos that pushed us to consider our energy usage, the responsible use of materials, and a unique approach to manufacturing. We are proud to stand apart as a business, but we are also proud to stand with nature in a greener future. In this instance, we are glad to have you alongside us in enabling nature to thrive through winter!
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