When you picture a corporate campus or business park, you probably think of polished glass buildings, neat lawns, and car parks. But this space could be so much more with a wildlife corridor. But what are the benefits of wildlife corridors for business landscapes? And why should your business consider one?
So what is a wildlife corridor?
A wildlife corridor is simply a connected green route that allows plants, insects, and even mammals like hedgehogs to move between areas. In urban areas, land is often very fragmented, with roads, fences and buildings often blocking routes that wildlife would use. A wildlife corridor can prevent populations from becoming isolated, and allow biodiversity to thrive.
From a business perspective, the creation of a wildlife corridor can be a great opportunity to do something good for the local community, generate positive publicity, and meet your sustainability goals.
What are the benefits of wildlife corridors for business landscapes?
There are a number of benefits to installing a wildlife corridor for businesses, including:
- Boosting Your ESG Credentials- With growing pressure from investors, clients, and regulators, biodiversity is climbing up the ESG agenda. Wildlife corridors are measurable, visible actions that show commitment to the UK Biodiversity Net Gain requirements and nature recovery strategies. With a wildlife corridor, your company will be able to report year-on-year pollinator counts or new bird species on your site, and these are all tangible wins for sustainability reports.
- Cooling and cleaning- Wildlife corridors improve life for humans too. Swales and planted strips absorb rainwater, which can help to reduce flood risk and drainage costs. Trees and shrubs create shade, cutting down urban heat in car parks and making outdoor spaces more comfortable for staff.
- Employee wellbeing- Green spaces are proven to reduce stress, boost mood, and improve focus. A lunch break next to a wildflower meadow or pond isn’t just Instagram-worthy; it’s good for mental health. This can even lead to increased employee retention, as happier employees are more likely to stay.
What does this mean in practice?
In practice, creating a wildlife corridor is much easier than you might think. Planting wildflower verges to replace short-mown grass along paths is one of the easiest ways to achieve this, along with planting hedges along boundary lines or paths. Replacing planted areas with local pollinating flowers can also be very helpful. For something larger, green roofs can be effective for connecting pollinator habitats across buildings.
By implementing these changes, the corridors you create can turn corporate land into a connected network where wildlife moves freely between different spaces.
Choose Wildflower Turf
Wildflower turfing is perfect for creating wildlife corridors. This is a pre grown turf roll that is sewn with carefully selected native or adapted wildflowers. Here at Green Scenery, we can install a variety of different types of wildflower turf to suit your outdoor space, replacing entre lawns with a wildflower meadow, or just the strips of grass that edge paths and car parks. Why not get in touch with the experts today, to find out more?