Biodiversity Framed Simply - How Developers can help Residents

For developers, achieving Biodiversity Net Gain isn’t just about designing good landscapes — it’s about what happens after handover.

Even the best planting plan will struggle if new homeowners don’t know how to care for it.
That’s not because people don’t care about wildlife — they do. The NHBC Foundation found that 67% of the UK public would make significant changes to support nature. The problem is confidence. Most people simply don’t know where to start.

That’s where framing biodiversity simply makes all the difference.

1. Focus on what matters most

Instead of overwhelming residents with policy language, focus on three practical habits that deliver 80% of the benefit:

• Keep the soil covered. Bare soil dries out and loses life. Groundcover plants, mulch or wildflower areas stop erosion and feed soil organisms.

• Plant for succession. A garden that always has something in flower will feed pollinators year-round — lavender in summer, sedums and verbena in autumn, ivy through winter.

• Add structure. A mix of heights and textures creates layers of habitat — low herbs, mid shrubs, and taller screens or fruit trees.

Each action is simple, visible, and rewarding — which makes people far more likely to stick with it.

2. Provide Actionable Support

Behaviour change works best when it feels achievable.
Replacing “you must create a pollinator corridor” with “add three flowering plants near your patio” gets better results.

Developers can build these prompts into welcome materials, show-home signage, or QR-linked mini guides.
Better still, they can give residents access to digital resources (like my Self-Sustaining Garden course) to provide a structured system for garden care.

3. Make it look good

Aesthetics matter. The term “rewilding” can sound messy — and that puts people off.
By showing that biodiversity can look clean, modern and intentional, developers appeal to both the heart and the market.

Small design touches such as bee bricks, green screens, planters filled with herbs and low shrubs, or even log piles tucked behind borders keep things functional and attractive.

4. Turn compliance into connection

Helping homeowners care for their gardens doesn’t just support wildlife; it builds engagement and long-term stewardship — two things that boost long term biodiversity gain. 

It shows residents that biodiversity isn’t just a tick box target — it’s part of daily life.

That’s the principle behind the Self-Sustaining Garden programme: a partnership between Garden Footprint and forward-thinking housing developers. This turnkey solution enables developers to provide homeowners with short, practical lessons that help people create a sustainable garden, without adding any workload or administrative burden to their teams. They will learn how to nurture soil, plant for pollinators, and manage water effectively — all in ways that look good and last.

If this programme feels like a good fit for your company then I'd love to hear from you.