Community Nature Reserve

Register your space to help build the Community Nature Reserve

Share your tips and experiences to inspire others.

Connect with like-minded people.

Learn new ways to enhance your space.

Your space can be a garden, allotment or even just a window box – all are welcome.

We now have a Facebook group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/9018214418306558?locale=en_GB

Join the Facebook group to see news and updates, connect with other members and get more out of your community network.

How to register

Complete the online form or download and print the form (link below) and return it to us by email, post or in-person.

Visit us in Town Hall, High Street, Thornbury, Bristol, BS35 2AR (during office hours). Hard copies will also be available at the library and Thornbury Town Hall reception.

Not sure where to start on your wildlife-friendly gardening journey, or looking for some tips on a specific subject? Check out our wildlife-friendly gardening guide which you can view and download below.

Our long, hot summer is slowly giving way to a mild, sunny autumn. The leaves are just starting to turn and the hedgerows are brimming with colourful berries.

This month, many animals will start to make plans for their winter hibernation by seeking out shelter in your wildlife-friendly garden. Invertebrates will appreciate it if you leave dead stems and seed heads for them to spend the winter in. Amphibians will be glad to see dead wood or log stacks, while hedgehogs will love piles of dead leaves that they can use for bedding.

Bats too will be thinking about fattening up for hibernation. Installing a bat box or two in your garden will give them somewhere to roost during the day, so they can spend the nights feasting on the lovely invertebrates your wildlife-friendly garden attracts.

Inside your home you might start to notice a greater prevalence of spiders. These fascinating creatures play a vital role in the food web, predating on many species of common garden ‘pests’ and providing food in turn for others. They often come inside at this time of year seeking shelter and perhaps a mate.

If they look larger than normal it is because this year’s new spiders have reached maturity. So, the more big spiders you see, the better the health of your wildlife-friendly garden. Spiders can look a little scary but, here in Britain at least, they are completely harmless. So, if you can, leave them be, or if you prefer, gently rehome them to a cosy corner of your garden. Perhaps even one of those dead leaf piles you’ve created?

As the days shorten and the weather cools, it pays to plan ahead for next spring. Planting autumn bulbs and wildflower seeds now will pay dividends in the new year, bringing colour and scent, as well as food for pollinators. Early flowering plants such as snowdrops and crocuses are particularly valued by emerging pollinators who might venture forth on mild, late winter or early spring days. Pots make good homes for bulbs and wildflowers and crocuses and daffodils look incredibly good in a lawn.

While you are outside planting your bulbs or rehoming your spiders, be sure to make time to enjoy the mellow light and mild days of October. It really is a lovely time of year to be outside, revelling in the changing colours of the season.

Photo Credit: Paul Gardham