A conservation group in Surrey are urging communities to make use of gardens and green spaces where they live in the effort to tackle and adapt to the climate crisis.

On Monday (November 8), as the COP26 crucial climate summit in Glasgow reached its halfway point, the Surrey Wildlife Trust encouraged people in the region to help mitigate the impacts of climate breakdown by outlining a number of small but significant steps they can take to help the ecology where they live.

The group pointed out that there were over 20,000 hectares of gardens in Surrey, some 12 per cent of the county in total, while public greenspaces and streets were also highlighted, as areas where everyone could help protect and encourage animals, flora and fungi where they live.

"Whilst we need to stop burning fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we must also let nature help tackle the climate crisis and adapt to its impacts. By restoring and connecting gardens, streets and community green spaces for nature, these can store carbon, provide clean air and water, protect us from flooding, extreme weather and even provide healthy, home grown food, as well as providing much needed refuges for wildlife," a statement from Surrey Wildlife Trust published on Monday read.

The group point out that greenspaces and plants like trees in particular can be valuable allies in the struggle to meet the climate emergency because they absorb carbon from the atmosphere that is currently warming the earth.

While they scrub carbon dioxide from the air, plants and trees can also mitigate the impacts of flooding that is becoming more common in the UK as the Earth heats up.

The government's Environment Agency published a report last week (November 1) referencing their 'Natural Flood Management' plans, which included the following suggestions:

  • Planting trees and hedges to absorb more water, catch rainfall and slow the flow of water on the ground surface when there is excess rainwater
  • Covering the ground with plants to reduce water pollution and surface water run-off
  • Diverting high water flows and creating areas to store water
  • Creating leaky barriers to slow water flow in streams and ditches
  • Restoring salt marshes, mudflats, and peat bogs

Surey Wildlife Trust's principal Ecologist Claire Gibbs said on Monday: "Rather than using hard landscaping, we need to think about natural wildlife gardening features to let nature mitigate climate change. Removing concrete paving will help rain water soak away and a pond will store water, rather than contributing to overflowing storm drains and flash floods. Planting a native hedge, rather than building a wall or fence will provide an amazing habitat for wildlife as well as absorbing carbon from the atmosphere."

She added: "Rather than burning fallen leaves this autumn why not make a leaf pile which may be used by hedgehogs to nest in. Always buy peat free compost to help prevent the destruction of peat bogs, which are vital carbon stores. Often we think of climate change and wildlife loss as two separate global issues that we are powerless to help. But we can make a difference by thinking globally and acting locally; by creating space for nature in our gardens we are providing one solution to both problems."

Click here for more on how you can help tackle the climate crisis by gardening and work in green spaces where you live.