Bare Ground
What?
Bare ground is one of the simplest and most overlooked habitats — but also one of the most valuable. Exposed soil, sand, gravel, chalk, or rubble supports an extraordinary variety of wildlife, including ground beetles, solitary bees, reptiles, and rare pioneer plants. Many species depend on these open, sunny areas for nesting, basking, and feeding.
Where?
Everywhere: along tracks, in car parks, on the edges of paths, yards, verges and construction sites. On the Isle of Wight, the mild climate and variety of soils — from chalk downs to sandy coasts — make bare ground particularly rich in opportunities for invertebrates and plants. Even small patches in gardens, school grounds or business sites can form vital stepping-stones between larger habitats. For site-specific actions, check out the Isle of Wight Habitat Map, and find out what is particularly special around your garden or space.
How?
Expose small areas of soil or substrate. Lift some paving slabs, loosen compacted ground, or leave parts of paths and car parks unsealed.
Reuse what you have. Break up redundant concrete or tarmac and reuse the rubble as a base for new wildlife mounds.
Add variety. Different materials (soil, sand, chalk, gravel) and moisture levels suit different species — a mosaic is best.
Let plants come and go naturally. Early colonisers such as dandelions, plantains and yarrow provide pollen and cover; avoid reseeding or spraying.
Keep disturbance light. Occasional scraping or turning mimics natural processes and helps maintain open conditions without overgrowing.
Combine with other habitats. Bare areas near log piles, planters, or sunny walls create microclimates and attract even more species.
When?
You can create or uncover bare ground at any time of year. Late autumn and winter are ideal for heavier work, but leaving patches open through spring and summer allows nesting insects and basking reptiles to use them immediately.
Why?
Bare ground helps complete the habitat mosaic. It’s essential for pollinators, supports natural pest control, and helps rainwater soak into the soil rather than running off hard surfaces. For the Isle of Wight’s Biosphere landscape, valuing these ‘ordinary’ patches brings nature into the heart of working and living spaces — visible, accessible, and low-maintenance.
Actions for Isle of Wight Species
Solitary bees, such as the Small Scabious Mining Bee, nest in bare soil.
Butterflies and common lizards use open ground for basking and egg-laying. The Grizzled Skipper butterfly is a Champion species that relies on areas of bare ground.
Ground beetles hunt among rubble, gravel and soil mounds, controlling pests naturally.
Rare plants including mosses, lichens, and annual herbs colonise disturbed chalk or brownfield sites.
Observe and Record
Take photos before and after — even a few months apart shows change.
Note what wildlife visits: bees, birds, butterflies, mosses.
Watching your patch change is part of the recovery story — and your records can feed into the Island’s Local Nature Recovery data.
Resources
“Links to LNRS measure LGH1.7, which promotes exposed and skeletal ground as vital invertebrate habitat: LGH1.7 Excavated Features in Chalk, Sand and Clay | LGH3.1 In-Forest Grassland Conservation ”