How to live in harmony with the smaller creatures in your garden.
We have already mentioned the drastic reduction of amphibian and bird species, but small mammals are also disappearing at an alarming rate in the UK and Europe. As on every level of nature, this has a knock on effect, causing a species reduction all along the natural food chain - and eventually extinction. With fewer mammals, owls are now also an endangered species. They feed on small rodents which normally live in long grassy areas, ground cover and sheltered hedgerows. The hedgerows are disappearing and most farmland is sterile due the use of insecticides, hence less insects for food and no places for birds or mammals to nest. For example, an owl feeds its young on small rodents like mice and voles. But the further it has to travel to find them, its young have far less chance of survival. And with the huge reduction of natural ground cover, including over tidy gardens, mammals have very few habitats left.
And so... at least a half of your garden should remain "un-manicured". Scatter some wild flower seeds around these designated areas and then let the grass grow. Ground coverage with vegetation is what will attract small mammals.