Looking After Our Green Spaces and Britain's Urban Wildlife

You don't have to live in rural areas to find a wealth of wild animals in the UK. In Britain's towns and cities, it is possible to spot birds of prey, urban foxes, bumblebees, and tufted ducks to name just a few. The Wildlife Trust states, “The green spaces of our towns and gardens bring nature into our daily lives, brightening our mornings with birdsong and the busy buzzing of bees”.

As the combined area of all our gardens in the UK is greater than the area of our National Nature Reserves, they are vitally important havens for our wildlife, as well as being relaxing spaces for us to enjoy. Trees and shrubs found in city parks and town gardens provide shelter for a variety of creatures, mimicking as they do their natural rural and woodland habitats, within the urban sprawl.

 

Leeds Beckett University research has also evidenced that spending time in wildlife-rich environments can help improve our physical and mental health and help reduce stress levels. So, not only will treasuring and looking after these areas provide health and well-being benefits for us, it will also help protect the lives of small mammals, nesting birds, and insects including some endangered species, and those under threat.

If you don't have a garden, even a window box can help create a tiny paradise for you and the wild things to appreciate. Try sprinkling some wildflower seeds into pots and attract butterflies, bugs, birds, and bumblebees with an abundance of pollen-producing plants.

Take a trip to your local park and you may be surprised at the abundance of wildlife you find.

Herons can be spotted nesting in tall trees, feeding on fish from urban waterways, and the many rodents found on land. Ducking behind bins, and scurrying along the pavements at dusk, city-dwelling foxes are also frequently spied, as they are much more brazen than their rural relatives.

Our love and affinity with our planet's flora and fauna, and especially our citified critters, is clear to see in a lovely collection of canvas prints, original paintings and wall art from animal loving artists including Aaminah Snowdon, Nicky Litchfield, Bev Davies, Anthony Dobson, Chris Ross Williamson and Guy Allen.

From Nicky's beautifully composed pastel depiction of a creeping fox in Here Comes Trouble, Aaminah's colourfully energetic duck duo in What's the Weather Like Up there?, Bev's prickly pair of hedgehogs in Henry and Hattie, and Guy's gold leaf embellished Golden Beetle Study; to Chris's municipal musings of famous urban artist Banksy's wall art in Banksy's Rat, there is something to suit every style, and help remind us of the important elements of life, whether we live in town or country.

Head over to our online gallery to find and order your favourite animal art.