The BIG Challenge of 'do one thing' invites you to add one new biodiversity enhancement to your construction site, development or existing building.
The biodiversity enhancement can be something simple, such as adding hanging baskets planted with native wildflowers, creating bug hotels, rain gardens, planted cycle locks or skip gardens. These measures can be a permanent feature of your development, or temporary during the construction phase, which, when finished, could potentially be transferred to the next site and enhanced further.
The challenge can also include initiatives such as creating biodiversity champions in your organisation, or programmes that engage with the local community.
We want the BIG Challenge to demonstrate that small enhancements are the crucial first step in engaging with and understanding biodiversity. We believe the challenge will gain enough momentum to ensure that biodiversity becomes a much greater consideration in towns and cities than is currently the case.
The biodiversity enhancements will be showcased on the website and once the enhancement is completed participants will have the opportunity to enter the BIG awards taking place on 15th October 2014.
Who's involved?
The BIG Challenge is a CIRIA Biodiversity Interest Group (BIG) intiative, launched on 15th October 2013.
We believe that action is required to encourage the implementation of biodiversity on site. We're inviting organisations to sign up and get involved to start ensuring that biodiversity enhancement is at the heart of the design and engineering process.
Over 30 organisations have shown an interest in joining the BIG Challenge, and 16 leading organisations have already signed up to demonstrate that they are biodiversity leaders including: AECOM, Barhale, Brookfield Multiplex Construction Europe, BSG Ecology, Cheetham Hill Construction, Ecology and Habitat Matters, enims, JFA Landscape, Kier Group, Lafarge Tarmac, Land Use Consultants, London Underground, RSK Group, Skanska, Thameslink Programme (Network Rail) and Willmott Dixon.