Why Bother Restoring Habitats?
Who restores habitats?
The types of animals and plants living in the British Isles have always changed over time, but in the last 100 years there have been particularly dramatic changes to the landscape. Estimates suggest that 95% of wildflower meadows, around 40% of ancient woodlands, 50% of heathland and 50% of fens and mires have been lost since 1945. Much of this loss was caused when land was used for agriculture or housing development or when traditional management techniques such as grazing were stopped.
Naturalists and scientists have been keeping records of British wildlife for many years, and these records show the declines in many once-common species. For example, the UK population of the starling has decreased by more than half in the last 25 years, and the high brown fritillary butterfly has declined by 77% since the 1970s. A number of species have become extinct in the British Isles including the large blue (now reintroduced) and black-veined white butterflies.
The British Isles is home some of the most important areas of limestone pavement in the world. Limestone pvaement has been carved over millennia by water forming a mosaic of blocks (clints) and fissures (grikes). It supports a diverse community of plants and animals.
There may not be any rainforests in the British Isles, but some of the habitats here are internationally important. British blanket bogs, lowland heaths, limestone pavements and yew woods are some of the best examples of these habitat types anywhere in the world. Other British habitats are internationally important because they support of rare species or important populations of some species. Mudflats may not look like spectacular habitats to most people, but the mudflats of the British Isles are rich source of food and support internationally important numbers of wading birds as well as many species of fish. Over half of the world population of redshank, knot, and brent geese and around a third of the worlds populations of oystercatchers, dunlin and shelduck rely on UK habitats.
Habitat variety is also important for humans. Many people acknowledge the value of the natural world for improving quality of life, providing a place for recreation and relaxation. But natural areas are not just pretty to look at they also have less obvious benefits for people by providing valuable ‘services’. Plants bind soil, which prevents erosion, wetlands and woodlands can help reduce flooding by soaking up and storing water, and every apple, strawberry and plum you eat is the result of pollination by insects. This means restoring habitats can have social and economic benefits as well as benefiting wildlife.
Next: What do you need to restore a habitat?
