Quick wins

Use these simple, affordable actions to enhance biodiversity and raise awareness around your organisation.

What you can do if you just occupy an office

• Sponsor a species  or habitat and raise funds for a local wildlife trust/charity.
• Sponsor your local wildlife site or club (e.g. a nearby Local Nature Reserve, or your local wildlife WATCH club www.wildlifewatch.org.uk/  ).
• Have a noticeboard to tell staff & visitors what you are doing to encourage biodiversity on site or nearby; include a section on wildlife gardening and e.g. the best native species to grow, which plants to grow    for butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects, where to get a compost bin.
• Plant up some window boxes and planters with native species - they'll look good and encourage wildlife. Make sure you use peat-free compost in these.
• Hang up bird feeders, put up a bird table, and fix bird boxes in trees or on buildings.
• Have a team conservation day (contact British Trust for Conservation Volunteers  , or Scottish Wildlife Trust  for ideas).

What you can do if you have some outdoor space

• Make a pond - visit the Pond Conservation   website, and also have a look at the SEPA leaflet 'Ponds, pools and lochans'  .
• Set up a wildlife garden. You don't need a lot of space. Have a look at the RSPB  , The Wildlife Trusts   and SNH information on wildlife gardening.
• Don't keep your grounds too 'tidy': areas of long grass, piles of cut wood, and bushy hedges provide excellent wildlife habitat.
• Plant native trees, shrubs, flowers and grasses whenever possible though bear in mind that there are some non-natives which are great for wildlife too. Be Plant Wise  and make sure you don't plant or encourage invasive non-native species.
• Cut meadows and othe grassland areas once in spring and once in autumn to encourage flowers to grow and set seed.
• Instead of amenity grassland, sow a wildlfower mix, and you won't need to mow it so often!
• Encourage birds by planting trees and shrubs with berries e.g. rowan, hawthorn, cherry; and replace ornamental planting with native species; diversify your woodland areas by creating glades and sun spots.
• Compost your green waste. Sealed compost bins are cheap and clean and provide an ideal way to recycle everything from grass cuttings to tea bags. See Recycle Now's     information on composting. 

What you can do if you use natural resources

• Source your timber based products from sustainable managed woodland - look for the FSC   (Forest Stewardship Council ) logo
• Use recycled paper
• Reduce energy use    - low energy lightbulbs are a good starting point
• Recycle and re-use    as much as you can so that you produce less waste.
• Encourage staff to cycle or walk to work more - provide safe bike storage and information on safe cycling    and walking    routes