Wildlife group WildCookham has launched its 2021 wild gardens scheme to encourage residents to support local wildlife. Now in its fourth year, the group’s successful Wild About Gardens Awards now boast more than 100 wildlife gardeners. This year’s plans include a ‘Let’s get Started’ campaign to encourage everyone with a garden or window box to get involved, whether or not they are aiming for an Award. There will also be an emphasis on creating corridors linking local gardens and reducing the barriers to animal movement.
The group’s Green Ribbon initiative asks gardeners to put a green ribbon on their garden gate or fence to make Cookham’s success in supporting local wildlife more visible and encourage more people to participate.
WildCookham committee member Lynne Peperell said: “Our Awards have been a great success. Now we want to use them as the platform to achieve the really important objective – linking gardens and other habitats. Many species need to be able to roam over a wide area for their food, water and shelter. Linking gardens will make a massive difference in supporting our biodiversity.”
Encouraging residents to turn gardens into wildlife havens is one of the programmes set out in the Borough’s Environment and Climate Strategy. Local ward councillor Gerry Clark was responsible for announcing the Borough’s Environment and Climate Emergency and is a member of its Emergency working party. He said: “Cookham has already shown a lead with its Wild About Gardens Awards and I’m delighted to see our community having the chance to do even more to support out natural environment. Simple changes in our gardens can have a big impact and even better if our neighbours are joining in as well”.
Pam Campin, who runs the WildCookham’s current Awards, is asking winners to help extend the wild gardens programme to neighbouring gardens. Residents new to the scheme can find out more by contacting
wildcookhamwaga@gmail.com.
Lynne Peperell says that the green ribbons are available from Village Hardware in Cookham Rise, and she looks forward to seeing then displayed across Cookham. She added: “The Awards scheme is now also organised by Wild Maidenhead across 11 borough wards. If our pilot is successful we think the Green Ribbon scheme could be a great way to link gardens across the whole Borough”.
