10 ways to help wildlife in autumn

As the autumn nights draw in and temperatures start to drop, habits change for a lot of our wildlife. Many species depend on extra food and shelter as they prepare for the cold and scarce winter months. The good news is, we can all take small actions to help. From your balcony or workplace to the local woods and beyond, here are our ten top tips to help wildlife this autumn.

1. Plant trees

Add colour and life to your outdoor space with native trees and shrubs. Autumn is the perfect time to plant as trees are dormant and less likely to suffer damage. Native species like holly, hawthorn and rowan are all suited to small spaces and provide vital food and shelter for birds, insects and small mammals through the colder months. Choose carefully and you can enjoy other benefits too - admire fantastic displays of spring blossom or fiery autumn leaves, capture carbon, create a shady spot and much more.

2. Reuse your Halloween pumpkin

Wondering what to do with your halloween pumpkin after All Hallows' Eve? It may seem helpful and eco-friendly to leave them out for wildlife, but this does more harm than good. Pumpkins take a long time to break down and as they rot, they damage delicate woodland ecosystems, attract rats and can be fatal to animals like hedgehogs.

Please don't leave pumpkins in our woods. Search online for other great ways to reuse Halloween pumpkins instead, from creative recipes to autumnal bird feeders and planters. Or just pop it on your compost heap.

Make a pumpkin bird feeder

• Take the lid off your jack-o'-lantern, or if you have a fresh pumpkin, cut the top off and scoop out the insides.

• Push strong sticks through so that they jut out to create perches for the birds.

• Fill with bird seed and place on a bird table, or tie strings to the sticks and hang from a sturdy branch.

• Keep it clean and add it to the compost heap when it starts to rot to avoid harming the birds.
  
  

3. Build a bug hotel

As the weather turns cooler, give minibeasts like bees, ladybirds and spiders a safe and cosy space to shelter with a DIY bug hotel in your garden. Autumn is a great time to find lots of natural materials for your construction too, including pine cones, dried twigs and fallen leaves. They don’t have to take up much room - try your hand at one of our ideas, from a log pile lodge to a pinecone palace.

4. Offer clean nest boxes for birds

Nesting season may be over but birds can benefit from nest boxes in your garden all year round. Autumn is the ideal time to put up a new one or clean out any you already have – chicks have safely fledged and bird boxes will instead offer valuable shelter for our feathered friends as temperatures drop. Birds will also be checking out potential breeding sites for next spring - if you're lucky, species like sparrows, blue tits or great tits might decide to adopt your box to rear their next brood.

5. Feed hedgehogs before hibernation

Autumn is a crucial time for hedgehogs as they need to build up fat reserves to see them safely through their winter hibernation. Leaving out a small amount of specially-made hedgehog food, meat-based pet food or cat biscuits can help them do that when natural food sources may be growing scarce.

You can also help hedgehogs in autumn by leaving a small pile of leaves and twigs in a quiet corner for them to use as a winter sanctuary - a ‘hibernaculum’ - or even build or buy a hedgehog house.

6. Don't be too tidy in the garden

Autumn gardening often involves cutting everything back and having a good tidy up as plants die back and lose their flowers and leaves. But a few seedheads, hollow stems and low-lying foliage can provide important habitat with extra food and shelter for lots of animals in autumn. It doesn’t have to be untidy or on a grand scale – you could cut back some species but not others, leave a small area untouched or put small bundles of natural materials at the back of borders or behind a shed. Keep an eye out in the coming months to see how many species are appreciating your efforts.

7. Keep topping up bird baths and feeders

As temperatures plummet, birds use a lot of energy to keep warm and food becomes difficult to find. Putting out energy-rich food like fat balls can be a welcome extra meal in leaner times. Bird baths can be a lifeline too when other water sources may have frozen over, just be sure to keep them clean and regularly change the water. Floating a small ball on the surface will disturb the formation of ice sheets too.

8. Let ivy thrive until the new year

The best time to prune garden ivy is from September to February, outside of the bird nesting season. We recommend waiting until winter if you can though, after the last fruits, since ivy's nectar, pollen and berries are an essential food source for wildlife in the autumn garden. 

Ivy flowers from September to November and is one of the last garden nectar sources for late-flying insects. Birds feast on its fruit from November to January too – the high fat content is nutritious for species like thrushes, blackcaps and blackbirds. The plant also offers shelter for insects, birds, bats and other small mammals.

9. Install a bat box

Did you know you can put bat boxes up wherever you live? They’re great for any garden, balcony or roof. While most British bats roost in trees, a box could be a welcome hibernation spot and autumn is when they’re scoping out a place to spend the winter. You can buy a box or build your own. Make sure it's dampproof, draughtproof and at least 4m high, in a sheltered spot that receives sun during the day. You could use several boxes facing different directions to give them a choice of roosting options.

10. Stand up for woods and trees with us

Want to help wildlife beyond your local patch? By supporting our work to plant and protect woods and trees, you can make a difference and help people and nature thrive. You don't even need to leave the house! Choose how to get involved, from volunteering or adding your voice to our online campaigns to donating or becoming a member from just £4 a month.