The best way to get children to think about our disappearing wildlife is to have them take an active part in its resurrection - and it's really simple to do, says Mary Whiting.

Britain's rich heritage of wild flowers, birds and insects is shrinking at a rate of knots. However, even a small wildlife patch can work wonders. And it can be really easy to create.

There are at least five good reasons for having a wildlife area

1. It's delightful. And it could influence children's thinking for years.

2. It's easy. As all the plants are native wild ones, they're tough and self-reliant.

3. It's urgent. Chiefly because of modern farming methods, our beautiful wild flowers are in decline and many are now rare. Since 1945, half of our woodlands and heathlands, 70 per cent of ponds and 96 per cent of our flower-rich meadows have gone, along with 140,000 miles of hedgerows and large areas of wetlands.

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