Gardeners Need More Information To Help Encourage Wildlife
Two in five gardeners (38%) say they would do more to encourage wildlife if they had more information, according to a new survey from the MORI Social Research Institute.
Two in five gardeners (38%) say they would do more to encourage wildlife if they had more information, according to a new survey from the MORI Social Research Institute.
The report -- published on behalf of the Royal Horticultural Society -- shows more than two-thirds of those with a garden (70%) think people should consider wildlife when maintaining their garden. However, only half of gardeners (50%) believe they are currently doing all they can to encourage wildlife.
The most common ways of encouraging wildlife are providing feeding trays (46%), water (35%) and nesting boxes (24%). Only 16% of gardeners use plants to attract wildlife. Half (51%) of active gardeners -- that is, those with gardens who are interested in gardening -- say they feed wildlife or birds, and a third (35%) look out for or watch wildlife in their garden.
Technical details
MORI interviewed a nationally representative sample of 1,885 adults throughout Great Britain, 1,224 of whom were active gardeners -- that is, they had a garden and were interested in gardening. The interviews were conducted in respondents' homes, face-to-face between 3-8 April 2003 and covered 191 sampling points. Final results are weighted to the known Great Britain adult population profile.
Topline Results
- Results are based on interviews with 1,885 adults aged 15+ in 191 sample points across Great Britain
- Interviews were completed by face-to-face, in-home between 3-8 April 2003
- Data are weighted to the national population profile
- A '*' indicates a value of less than half of one percent, but greater than zero
- Where results do not sum to 100, this is due to computer rounding or multiple answer
- Base all (1,885), unless otherwise specified
Q1 Which, if any, of the following statements describe you?
| % | |
|---|---|
| I have a garden [and am interested in gardening] | 64 |
| I do not have a garden but am interested in gardening | 6 |
| I have a garden but am not interested in gardening | 19 |
| I do not have a garden and am not interested in gardening | 10 |
| Don't know | 1 |
Q2 And which of these activities do you do when gardening?
Base: All who have a garden and are interested in gardening (1,224)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Garden (weeding, digging, planting, watering etc.) | 71 |
| Maintain an attractive garden to enjoy for pleasure | 53 |
| Feed wildlife/birds | 51 |
| Look for/ watch wildlife | 35 |
| Grow food or cut flowers for the house | 27 |
| Actively encourage all wildlife | 26 |
| Control pests and diseases (aphids, caterpillars etc) | 26 |
| Only encourage wildlife that helps the garden (ladybird, bees, amphibians etc) | 16 |
| Just leave the wildlife alone -- not encourage or discourage it | 15 |
| Other | 1 |
| Nothing in particular | 10 |
| Don't know | 0 |
I am now going to ask you a few questions about your garden and wildlife. By 'wildlife', I mean all insects, animals and birds that might naturally inhabit a garden if left alone, including those you might regard as pests.
Q3 Which, if any, of the following do you do in a garden to encourage wildlife?
Base: All who have a garden, whether interested in gardening or not (1,577)
| % | |
|---|---|
| Set up feeding trays or areas/ leave food out for wildlife | 46 |
| Provide water for wildlife (pond, birdbath, dish etc.) | 35 |
| Set up nesting boxes | 24 |
| Use plants specifically to encourage wildlife | 16 |
| Scare domestic animals away/ put a bell around the neck of a cat | 15 |
| Nothing -- leaving wildlife alone is an encouragement in itself | 14 |
| Nothing -- I'm not interested/ don't want to encourage them | 7 |
| Other | 1 |
| None of these | 19 |
| Don't know | 1 |
Q4-6 To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? [Version 1]
Base: All who have a garden [and are interested in gardening] (563)
| Strongly agree | Tend to agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Tend to disagree | Strongly disagree | Don't know | Agree | Disagree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| Having an attractive garden is more important to me than having a garden with wildlife in it. | 5 | 23 | 28 | 31 | 11 | 2 | 28 | 42 |
| If wildlife is encouraged, it can cause damage to a garden. | 4 | 29 | 19 | 32 | 12 | 3 | 34 | 45 |
| People should consider wildlife when making or maintaining their garden. | 22 | 49 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 70 | 8 |
Q4-6 To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements? [Version 2]
Base: All who have a garden [and are interested in gardening] (661)
| Strongly agree | Tend to agree | Neither agree nor disagree | Tend to disagree | Strongly disagree | Don't know | Agree | Disagree | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
| I feel I am doing all I can to encourage wildlife in my garden | 15 | 36 | 19 | 21 | 8 | 1 | 50 | 29 |
| If wildlife is encouraged, it can make a garden look less attractive | 3 | 12 | 17 | 43 | 22 | 3 | 16 | 64 |
| I would do more to encourage wildlife in my garden if I had more information on how to do so | 6 | 32 | 26 | 27 | 7 | 2 | 38 | 34 |
