Somerset's Wilder Allotment Awards

How wildlife friendly is your allotment?

There are lots of actions you can take to manage your allotment plot in a way which minimises harmful environmental impacts and creates an inviting space for wildlife. Although allotments are primarily used for growing food, by incorporated wildlife friendly plants and features you can create a mini-ecosystem that’s good for you and good for wildlife.

Please note that plaques are only available to Somerset addresses (excluding Bristol and BANES).

This survey is for individual plot holders. Your Allotment community can collectively achieve a "Wilder Allotment" award if 25% of plot holder achieve their individual plot award AND as a community you are making efforts to encourage wildlife on your allotment site (Sections 2-5).

Please get in touch if your Allotment community would like to work towards your community award teamwilder@somersetwildlife.org

In order to gain a plaque, you need to demonstrate you are making an effort to welcome wildlife in different ways and practicing environmentally friendly actions.

Section 1 is about environmentally friendly management. You will need to be doing at least 4 of the actions in section 1 on your individual plot to achieve an award.

Sections 2-5 are about actions you can take to encourage more space for wildlife either on your individual plot or collectively as a community on your allotment site. You will not be individually judged on this section, but please tick all that apply.

Question Title

* 1. What is the name of your Allotment society or committee?

Question Title

* 2. Section 1 - WILDLIFE FRIENDLY MANAGMENT.
Please check all that apply. You must achieve 4 of the below on your individual plot to gain an award.

Go peat free. Peat is a precious resource, make sure you check all compost and pot plants before buying and choose 100% peat-free. If you have space, make your own compost.

Be conservative with water. There are lots of ways to use less water such as installing water butts, growing drought tolerant plants, using a watering can instead of a hose, mulching or avoiding watering during the heat of the day.

Look after your soil. You could practice the no dig method, and/or compost garden & kitchen waste, and/or grow green manures over winter. Aim to feed your soil organically.

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Make the most of what you already have, share and reuse pots, and choose hardwearing items instead of throwaway products.

Go chemical free. Help protect your soil and our water ways. Go easy on “prey” pest such as greenfly and slugs by avoiding pesticides and herbicides. You could use natural alternatives (such as wool pellets) or try companion planting.

Be considerate of wildlife’s home. Avoid cutting back hedges, long grass or shrubby vegetation during bird breeding season (March-September) and always check vegetated areas for wildlife before cutting or strimming.

Question Title

* 3. Section 2: FOOD
This section is about how much food your allotment provides for wildlife throughout the year. Please check all that apply either on your individual plot or in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

Share your produce! Leave some for the birds or provide bird feeders.

Nectar rich single-flowering flowers – such as marigolds which can also be used as a companion plant

Shrubs and small trees with nuts and berries

Flowers, fruit and seeds available throughout the year

Night opening/scented flowers to attract insects (e.g. honeysuckle)

Question Title

* 4. Section 3: SHELTER
This section is about whether your allotment provides safe places for wildlife to live, hide and hibernate. Please check all that apply either on your individual plot or in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

Plant creepers on vertical surfaces or trellis

Dead wood - log piles or big tree stumps

Bird, bat, bug, solitary bee or hedgehog box

Don’t tidy up too soon. Leave some standing stems over winter to protect the soil and shelter invertebrates.

Features for reptiles to bask or use as hibernacula e.g. stone piles, stone walls or tin sheets

Question Title

* 5. Section 4: WATER
Does your allotment help to preserve water resources and provide water for wildlife to drink and as a habitat? Please check all that apply either on your individual plot OR in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

Rain garden – slow the flow by adding a leaking water feature at the end of your drain pipe.

Wildlife pond (can be large or small) - without fish

Bog garden - or permanently wet area

Provide bird bath, bumblebee watering station or other small area of water for wildlife to drink and wash

Save water – e.g. use of water butts or waste water reuse.

Question Title

* 6. Section 5 - CONNECTIONS and CORRIDORS
This section is about how joined up your allotment is within the wider landscape, helping wildlife to move and thrive. Please check all that apply either on your individual plot OR in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

Provide a gap in any boundaries for hedgehogs

Mixed native hedge (or "fedge" by covering your fences with climbing vegetation)

Minimise light pollution for bats

Proximity to a stream or other waterbody

Encourage your others to be more wildlife friendly e.g. hold open days, use signs and explain what you're doing.

Orchard, meadow or other dedicated wildlife area

Allotment society rules encourage environmentally and wildlife friendly practices.

Question Title

* 7. YOUR DETAILS - please provide your FULL address to receive your Allotment plaque.

Name

Address

Postcode

Which Allotment are you part of?

Question Title

* 8. Please tick the boxes that confirm how you would like to hear from us.

We promise to never sell your details to other organisations. Please note, if you do not tick any of the boxes we may not be able to share with you details of our work that may be of interest. You can change your communication preferences at any time’ by emailing us at membership@somersetwildlife.org or by calling us on 01823 652429. To find out how we use and protect your personal data and your rights, please see our Privacy Policy.

I would like to sign up to the Team Wilder enews - for monthly updates on training, grants, wildlife recording and community action.

Question Title

* 9. Please use this comment box to tell us about anything you are particularly proud of or interesting wildlife sightings in your allotment:

We may use your anonymised comments to inspire others on our website, social media or e-news.

Somerset's Wilder Allotment Awards

How wildlife friendly is your allotment?

Question Title

* 1. What is the name of your Allotment society or committee?

Question Title

* 2. Section 1 - WILDLIFE FRIENDLY MANAGMENT.Please check all that apply. You must achieve 4 of the below on your individual plot to gain an award.

Question Title

* 3. Section 2: FOODThis section is about how much food your allotment provides for wildlife throughout the year. Please check all that apply either on your individual plot or in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

Question Title

* 4. Section 3: SHELTERThis section is about whether your allotment provides safe places for wildlife to live, hide and hibernate. Please check all that apply either on your individual plot or in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

Question Title

* 5. Section 4: WATERDoes your allotment help to preserve water resources and provide water for wildlife to drink and as a habitat? Please check all that apply either on your individual plot OR in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

Question Title

* 6. Section 5 - CONNECTIONS and CORRIDORSThis section is about how joined up your allotment is within the wider landscape, helping wildlife to move and thrive. Please check all that apply either on your individual plot OR in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

Question Title

* 7. YOUR DETAILS - please provide your FULL address to receive your Allotment plaque.

Question Title

Question Title

* 9. Please use this comment box to tell us about anything you are particularly proud of or interesting wildlife sightings in your allotment:We may use your anonymised comments to inspire others on our website, social media or e-news.

* 2. Section 1 - WILDLIFE FRIENDLY MANAGMENT.
Please check all that apply. You must achieve 4 of the below on your individual plot to gain an award.

* 3. Section 2: FOOD
This section is about how much food your allotment provides for wildlife throughout the year. Please check all that apply either on your individual plot or in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

* 4. Section 3: SHELTER
This section is about whether your allotment provides safe places for wildlife to live, hide and hibernate. Please check all that apply either on your individual plot or in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

* 5. Section 4: WATER
Does your allotment help to preserve water resources and provide water for wildlife to drink and as a habitat? Please check all that apply either on your individual plot OR in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

* 6. Section 5 - CONNECTIONS and CORRIDORS
This section is about how joined up your allotment is within the wider landscape, helping wildlife to move and thrive. Please check all that apply either on your individual plot OR in your community areas, edges and shared areas of your allotment.

* 9. Please use this comment box to tell us about anything you are particularly proud of or interesting wildlife sightings in your allotment:

We may use your anonymised comments to inspire others on our website, social media or e-news.