On premises

Biodiversity enhancing measures

On premises

Produced by Ecogain 20.01.2020

Biodivesity enhacing measures2

Contents

Biodivesity enhacing measures 3

Introduction5 Biodiversity trends5 Vattenfall and biodiversity5 Purpose of this document

Principles6 Principles

Habitats8 Meadow9 Pond10 Stream11 Opensandyarea12 Woodedpastures14 Communitygarden15 Greenwall16 Roofmeadow

Structures18 Structures

About this document The document has been produced by Ecogain on behalf of Vattenfall AB in December 2019. Thefollowingpeoplehaveparticipated:

Vattenfall: Josefin Blanck, EnvironmentThomas Olsson, Environment RealEstateandFacilityManagement

Ecogain:ClaesVernerback Project manager and text production [email protected],+46(0)104059090

Ursula Zinko:Ecologyexpert,textproduction

Susan Enetjärn:Layout,illustrationsandphotomontages

Tim Hipkiss:Languagereview

Anders Enetjärn: Quality control

Photo credits:EcogainABunlessstatedotherwise


1. Introduction“Biodiversityformstheweboflifeofwhichweare anintegralpartanduponwhichwedepend.” -TheSecretariatoftheConventiononBiologicalDiversity Humanwellbeingand,ultimately,survivalareentirelydependent on the products and services provided by nature – often called ecosystem services. Examples of ecosystem services include – among manyothers–stormprotection,climateregulation,recreation,andtheproductionoffood,cleanwater,buildingmaterial,energyandmedicine.

Biodiversity is one of the main foundations that enables the provision of ecosystem services. It is also our best insurancetoensurethatecosystemswillcontinuetofunction as they do today in a changing climate. In addition,studieshaveshownthatbiodiversityhasapositiveeffectonthefulfilmentofallSustainableDevelopmentGoals.

Biodiversity trends Biodiversity is under severe pressure globally. The WorldEconomicForumnamedbiodiversitylossandecosystemcollapseoneofthebiggestglobalrisksin2019. Different forms of human land use occupy large areas,leavinglessandlessareaavailableforspeciesandecosystems.Asaresult,manyhabitatsaredegradedandfragmented,asbuildings,roads,andother man-made structures constitute barriers betweenthem.

Vattenfall and biodiversity Protection of nature and biodiversity is highlighted as oneofVattenfall’skeyfocusareasinourenvironmentalpolicy.Westrivetoavoid,minimise,restore,andcompensate for any negative impact from our operations.Asonestepinthiseffort,wewantto makesureourpremisesconstituteasfaraspossibleanextensionof,andconnectionbetween,habitats.Although some of the locations have limited space to implementanymeasures,evensmallermeasuresdirectly on the building or in the relevant surroundings can have an important effect on biodiversity connectiv-ity.Equallyimportantisraisingawarenessaboutthisimportant matter. The measures are meant to initiate conversations about biodiversity and inspire colleagues and external stakeholderstoadresstheissuethemselves.

Purpose of this document This document is intended to be used to support decisionmakingaboutbiodiversityenhancingmeasuresonthepremiseswhereVattenfallislocated.Thefollowingsectionofthisdocumentcontainsasetofimportantprinciplesthatshouldbefollowedwhenaiming to enhance biodiversity.

The rest of the document should be considered as a catalogue of possible measures that could be implemented. The sections can be used as inspiration whenconsideringwhichmeasuresareappropriatefordifferent premises.

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is defined as the variety of organisms,species,andpopulations;thegeneticvariationwithinthem;andthe

diversity of the communities and ecosystems they constitute.


2. Principles Use native plants Usenativeplants,preferablyspeciesthatoccur naturally in the region. Native plants are more beneficialtotheoverallbiodiversitythanexoticones,since the different species have evolved together and adapted to each other and the regional fauna and fungi. This is particularly important for trees.

Avoid – and combat – invasive species Invasive species are non-native species that spread rapidlyintheirnewenvironment,wheretheyoutcom-petenativespecies,causeharmtoecosystems,andreducebiodiversity.Manythreatenedandendangeredspeciesareatriskbecauseofinvasivespecies.National environment protection agencies usually provideinformationaboutwhichspeciesare,andriskbecoming,invasiveintheirrespectivecountry.

Take advantage of local water sources Avoidclosingstreamsandditchesintoculverts,andopenupcurrentculvertswithwater.Accesstoopenwaterincreasesbiodiversityandisoftenamuch-appreciatedelementforhumanwellbeing.

Use flowering and fruit bearing trees and bushes Fruitandberries,andflowerswithnectarservethedualpurposeof1)enhancingbiodiversitybyprovidingafoodsourceforinsectsandotheranimalsand2)promotinghumanwellbeingbybothbeingaestheti-callypleasingandprovidinghealthyandtastysnacks.

Use a variety of plants that flower during different times throughout the season This promotes biodiversity by providing a food source for a range of insects that are active duringdifferenttimesoftheseason,andatthe-same time provides aesthetic values for human wellbeingduringtheentirevegetationperiod.

Minimise hard surfaces Allgreen,gravel,andsandyareasarepreferable to hard surfaces in regards to biodiversityaswellasfloodprevention.

Make sure outdoor light sources are pointed downward so as not to illuminate trees Treesareusedasroostingsitesforbirds,bats


andinsects.Theywill,however,avoidtreesthat are illuminated at night.

Vary the maintenance of lawns Somepartscanbemownaslawnsforpeople touse.Otherpartscouldbeturnedintomeadowswhileotherscouldbeusedasflowerbeds.Considerifpathscouldbeformedfromcutlawnsratherthangravelorhardsurfaces.

Inform about the biodiversity measures Raisingawarenessabouttheimportanceofbiodi-versity is as an important reason for implementing these measures as enhancing biodiversity itself. Letthepremisesbeasourceofknowledgeandinspiration for employees and visitors by putting upsignswithinformationaboutwhyandhowthe measures are beneficial to biodiversity.

Be inspired by nature Forbesteffectwhenchoosingwhichmeasurestoimplement,letthesurroundingenvironmentleadtheway.Inahomogenouslandscape,somethingdifferent

fromwhat’salreadytherecanenhancetheoverallbiodiversity,whileinafragmentedlandscape,themosteffectivemeasureswillbetheonesthatimitatetheexistinghabitats,creatingalinkbetweenthem.

Biodiversity principles - Use native plants- Avoid invasive species-Takeadvantageoflocalwatersources -Usefloweringandfruitbearingtreesandbushes -Useplantsthatflowerduringdifferenttimes throughout the season -Minimisehardsurfaces - Pointoutdoorlightsourcesdownwards - Varythemaintenanceoflawns - Inform about the biodiversity measures - Be inspired by nature


3. Habitats

MeadowTurningalawnintoaspecies-richmeadowisa good investment for biodiversity

Ecological motives Meadowshavebeenpartofanagriculturaltradition forcenturies,untillargestructuralchangestransfor-med the agricultural practises in the 20th century. The continuous removal of hay – and therefore nutrients–fromthemeadowsmadethemnutrientpoor,whichfavourahighspeciesrichnessofplants.Innutrient-richsoil,afewspecieswilldominateandoutcompetethelargevarietyofspecies.Withahighdiversityofplants,ahighdiversityofinsectswillfollow.Someplantspeciesattractbutterflieswhileothersattract bumblebees etc. A large diversity of pollinating insectsattractsbirdsandpredatoryinsects.Therefore,ameadowisahigh-qualityhabitatservingasanimportantbaseforbiodiversity,whilerequiringlittle maintenance.

Key principles - To successfully create a species-rich meadow,thesoilneedstobenutrient-poor.- Tocreateameadowonnutrient-richsoil,you eitherhavetoreplacethesoilwithnewsandy nutrient-poorsoilorcoverthecurrentsoilwith biodegradablegeotextile,andcoveritwith nutrient-poorsoil,atleast30centimetres deep.- Makesuretobuyseedsfromaretailerthat usesnativespecies,andthattheseedsalso originate from the respective country.- Itisimportantthatthemeadowismown everyyearafterithasfloweredandthe flowershavereleased their seeds. The hay thenneedstoberemovedfromthemeadow tokeepthesoilnutrient-poor.- Low maintenance:Justmowonceayearand thenremovethehayfromthemeadow.


2. Principles

PondAccesstowateralwaysincreasesbiodiversityinalandscapewherewaterisnotalreadythedominating feature

Ecological motives Openwaterisagreatenhancerofbiodiversityandapositiveelementforinsects,birds,amphibians,andmanyotheranimals.Pondswithoutfishareanimportant habitat for many of these animals but areunfortunatelyrareintoday’slandscape.Freelygrowingvegetationaroundthepondprovidesshelterandshadewhichbenefitmanyspecies.Openwaterisalsoaverypositiveelementforhumanwellbeing,providing aesthetic and recreational values.

Key principles - Iftherearenopondsonthepremises,anew one can be created by digging.- Whileapondofanysizewillincrease biodiversity,itispreferableifthepondisat least 20 square metres.- It’s important that the pond has gently sloping banks.Therefore,thesizeofthepondwill determineitsdepth.However,ifpossible, makethepondatleast1metredeepatthe deepest part.- Deadwoodinthewaterprovidesshelterfor animalsandgrowingsubstrateformossesand algae. Use logs or branches depending on the depth of the pond.- Allowamargin aroundthepondwhereplants, bushesandtreescangrowfreely.This enhances the quality of the pond as a habitat for many species.- Benchesaroundthepondallowpeopleto more easily enjoy the benefits of it.- Very low maintenance: The pond might becomeovergrownwithvegetationonce everyfewyears,dependingonitssize. Itwillthenneedtobeclearedofsomeofthe vegetation.Preferably,thiscouldbedoneby digging,toalsoremoveexcessivesediment from the pond.


StreamRunningwaterprovidesanoxygenrichwater environment,enhancingbiodiversity Ecological motives Justlikeapond,astreamrunningthrougha landscape is an efficient enhancer of biodiversity. Itprovidesseveraldifferenthabitats,suchas thewateritself,thebottomsubstrate,andthe shorelines.Flowingwaterisahabitatfordifferent speciesthanthepond,andbecauseofitslength, it generates a large area of vegetation margins – a particularly species-rich environment

Key principles - Openupanyditchesinculvertstoallowthe watertocontributetobiodiversityandhuman wellbeing. - Tofurtherdiversifythehabitat,wherethe spatialsettingallowsit,smallpondscould becreatedalongthestream;eitherbyjust wideningthestreamoralongsideitwitha narrowconnectiontothestream.- Allowvegetationtogrowfreelyinthemargins along the stream. - Allowthestreamtomeanderthroughthe landscape to increase the area of vegetation margins. - Pollinationvaluesaswellasaestheticvalues forhumanwellbeingcouldbeenhancedby addingfloweringplantsalongthestream. Makesuretousespeciesthatareadapted to this environment. - Abridgeoverthestreamoraplatformwith benchescouldmakeiteasierforpeopleto enjoy the environment. - Very low maintenance:Somedeadwoodin thewatercanenhancethehabitatformany species.However,ifdeadwoodorother material gather so much that the stream starts todamup,thiscancausethewatertostart flowingalonganalternateroute.Ifthiscould causeproblemsonthepremises,thedam then needs to be removed.


Open sandy areaOpen sandy areas are home to many rare or endangered species Ecological motives Open sandy areas are another habitat that has beco-me scarce in today’s landscape. This is due to chang-edpracticesintheforestryandagriculturalsectors,makinggrazingonpoorsoiluncommon.Sunlitsandyareasbecomewarmerthanthesurroundingenviron-ment,providinghabitatforplants,insectsandlizardsthatareadaptedtothisparticularenvironment.Manyof these species have become rare or endangered as their available habitats have become scarce.

Key principles - Areaswithsandysoilcouldbeopenedupby just scraping off the top layer. - The open sandy patches should cover at least 2 square metres. - The sandy area should be sunlit during a large part the day. - Areasfacingsouthorsouthwestarepreferable.- Inareaswithoutsandysoil,opensandyareas can be created by adding a layer of sand. Thesandlayershouldbeatleast30 centimetresthick. - Seedsofnativeplantsfornutrient-poor meadowscouldbesparselyspreadonthe sandarea,butmakesurethattheydon’tcover the ground and that there are some open patches free of plants. - Floweringplantspeciesaroundthesandy areas provides feeding places for insects that nest in sand. - Astonewallorrockpilecanprovide hibernationpossibilitiesforlizards,seethe Structuressection. - Low maintenance:Disturbthepatcheswith arakeonceayeartokeepthemopen.Dothis earlyinthespring,beforeanyinsectshave established a nest in the sand.


Ecological motives Woodedpasturescanbeveryspeciesrich,especially if the trees are old. Grazingincreasesthediversityoftheflora,whichin turn increases the diversity of the insect fauna.

Old trees are important biodiversity hubs that are irreplaceable as hosts for many rare and endangered species.Unfortunately,oldtreesareraretodaybecauseofintensiveforestry.Whenanoakorpine,forexample,reaches200yearsofage,theystarttobecomehabitatsforavarietyofinsects,birds,lichens,fungiandotherspeciesthatdependonthetrees.Thetreewillbythattimestarttoformcracksandhollows,whichallowinsects,birdsandfungito

colonisethetree,whichwillthenbecomeanimportantfeeding site for many birds and other animals.

Duringthecontinuedaginganddyingprocesses,the species composition of organisms living in and onthetreewillshifttootherspeciesthatrelyonevenoldertrees.Evenafterthetreehasdied,thestandingstemorlyinglogthatremainswillhostyetotherspeciesofinsects,fungi,lichensandmosses.Oldtreeswillinotherwordsserveacriticalroleinanecosystemforseveralhundredyears,highlightingthe importance of having a longterm perspective whenplanningforincreasedbiodiversity.

Wooded pastures Anoaktreegrowsfor200years,ismaturefor200yearsanddiesfor200years


Key principles - Preserveanywoodedareasandnativetrees on the premises.- Considerreplacinganynon-nativetreeswith native species.- Whereit’snotpossibletohostgrazinganimals, the habitat could be created by removing shrubsandundergrowthinaforests,inorder to increase the sunlight exposure of the trees.- Whenplantingnewtrees,usepine(Pinus sylvestris)onnutrient-poorsoilandoak (Quercusrobur)onmorenutrient-richsoil, preferably.- Askilledarboristcanveteraniseatreeto speeduptheonsetofholesandcracks.- Notes on maintenance: If the habitat is used forgrazing,theanimalswillrequiredaily attention.Thehabitatwillneednoother maintenance.Iftherearenograzinganimals present,theforestmayneedtobeclearedof shrubsandundergrowthonceeveryfewyears to maintain the trees’ sunlight exposure.


Community gardenA community garden is an effective biodiversi-tyenhanceraswellassocialnetworkinghub

Ecological motives Acommunitygardenisanareawherepeoplecancome together to cultivate their plants of choice. Sincemanypeopleprefertoplantfloweringor fruitbearingspecies,thegardenisaneffective biodiversityenhancer,providingfeedingsitesformanyinsectsandotheranimals.Inaddition,studieshaveshownthatcommunitygardensareimportantplatformsforcommunitybuildingandknowledgesharing. A community garden on the premises could allowtheemployeestocontributetoincreasedbiodiversity,improvetheworkplaceenvironment,andprovidefreshproducetotakehome.

Key principles - Suitablebothonthegroundandonaccessible roofs.- Combinewithstructuresthatprovidenesting habitatsforinsectsforoptimaleffect.Seee.g. insecthotels,bumblebeehouses,opensandy areasanddeadwoodintheStructures section.- High maintenance: The garden needs to be actively managed in order to stay appealing andnotbecomeanuisance.However,the employeesusingthegardenwillmanageit themselves,sotheneedforexternal maintenanceisnone–low.Therefore,make sure there is an interest among the employees for a community garden before implementing.


Green wall Greenwallscouldreducebarriereffectsandhelpraiseawareness Ecological motives Buildingsarebiodiversitybarriers,preventingmanyspeciestomovebetweenhabitats.Greenwallscanreduce the effects of these barriers and turn them into alinkbetweenhabitatsforsomespecies.Itcouldalsohelpconnectingagreenroof,suchastheroofmeadowonthenextpage,tosurroundinggreenareas.Becauseoftheirvisualpresence,theycouldalsobeaconversa-tionstarter,helpingtoraiseawarenessaboutbiodi-versity.Inaddition,greenwallsshadethebuildingandcould reduce the need for temperature regulation.

Key principles - Forbesteffect,combinewithagreenroof.- Particularlyinurbanenvironments,it’s importanttoincorporatesomekindofnesting opportunitiesinthewalls,seee.g.insect hotels and bird and bat boxes in the Structuressection.- Consultanexpertongreenwallsforbest results.- Varied maintenance: The vegetation could needmaintenance,dependingonspecies composition.Thewallcouldcomewithitsown irrigationsystemorrequireexternalirrigation, depending on type.


Key principles - The sand layer should be nutrient poor and at least30centimetresdeep.- Seedsfordry,nutrient-poorsoilcanbebought. Makesureyoubuythemfromaretailerthat uses native species and that the seeds also originate from your country.- Inanurbanenvironment,itisimportanttoadd structures that provide nesting habitat for insects,sothattheroofcontainsbothfeeding andnestinggrounds.Seee.g.insecthotels, bumblebeehouses,opensandyareas,and deadwoodintheStructuressection. andsurroundinggreenareasandstructures, seegreenwallinthepreviousspread.- Itisimportantthatthemeadowismownevery yearafterithasfloweredandtheflowershave released their seeds. The hay then needs to be removedfromthemeadowtokeepthesoil nutrient-poor.- Low maintenance:Justmowonceayearand thenremovethehayfromthemeadow.

Roof meadowAroofmeadowcouldturnacurrentbarrierintoalinkbetweenhaabitats Ecological motives A roof can be utilised as an asset to biodiversity. Ameadowisahigh-qualitybiodiversity-booster. Inaddition,theprerequisitesonaroofforcreating adryandsandy,nutrient-poormeadowaregood, so it is a suitable habitat of choice. By itself in an urbanenvironment,theroofmeadowwillbeaneco-logicalislandoflittleimportanceforbiodiversity,buttogetherwithcurrentorfuturesurroundinggreen areasandstructures,itcouldconstituteasteppingstonebetweenhabitats,reducingtheeffectofa biodiversity barrier.

Photo:Urbio


Solitary trees Old trees constitute an irreplaceable habitat for many species and by extension a feeding site for manymore.Preserveanytreesgrowingonthe premisesasfaraspossible,especiallyolderones, andletsunlittreesremainunshaded.Plantnew trees that could become valuble for biodiversity in time.

Groups of trees and bushes Treesandbushescanbeplantedorallowedtogrowingroupstocreatemicrohabitats;thisprovidesmoisture- lovingspecieswithhabitatsandshelterforsmallbirdsand other animals.

Logs and dead trees Logsandstanding,deadtreesarevaluableelements inanecosystem.Theyarehosttomanyinsects,larvae,fungiandotherspecies,andprovidefeedingsitesforbirds,predatoryinsectsandotheranimals.

4. StructuresThis section contains a catalogue of smaller structures that could be added in order to enhance the biodiversity of a habitat.


Sand piles Sandpilesprovidenestinghabitatformany bees and other insects and provide habitat for plants adapted to dry areas.

Outcrops and thin soil Outcropsandareaswithathin,nutrient-poorsoillayer are home to a set of species that are specia-lised to these particular environments. These thin soillayersarerareinparkenvironmentstoday.

Stone walls and rock piles Sunlitstonewallsandrockpilesareimportant structuresformanyorganisms,providing shelter and hibernation sites for amphibians andreptiles,andnestingsitesforinsects.


Piles of dead wood Sunlitpilesofdeadwoodprovidenestingsites for many insects and small birds.

Piles of brushwood Setasideaspotforagardencompost,wherehay,leaves,branchesandweedscanbeplacedfordecomposition.Suchacompostheap can be used by small mammals such as hedgehogsforshelterandwinternests.

Boulders Bouldersprovidesubstrateforlichensandmosses,whichattractinsects,spidersandmolluscs.They,inturn,attractsmallmammals,lizards,andbirds.Makesurethatsunlitbouldersarekeptunshaded.


Insect hotels and bumblebee houses Insect hotels come in a lot of different forms. They can be bought or made by hand and provide nesting sites for bees and other insects. Insect hotels should be pla-cedinsunlitlocationsandpreferablyclosetoflowers.Bumblebeehousescouldbemadebyburyingaflowerpotturnedupsidedowninthesoilsothatonlythebottomwiththeholeisaboveground.

Bird and bat boxes Sinceold,hollowtreesarerare,birdandbatboxesprovidenestingopportunitiesotherwiselackingin the landscape today. There is a variety of different kindsofbirdandbatboxes,includingtheclassicwoodenboxesaswellasinnovationslikebirdandbatbricksthatcanbeincorporatedintobuildings.Forbesteffect,useboxesthataresuitable for species that are present in your area.

Balcony and window boxes Ifit’snotpossibletoimplementagreenwall,anybalconyorwindowboxplanterswillhavesomeeffect inlinkingagreenrooftosurroundinghabitats.

Vattenfall AB | Department Address: SE-162 92 Stockholm, Sweden Visit: Evenemangsgatan 13Public company (publ). Stockholm VAT. SE556036213801 [email protected] | www.vattenfall.com

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