Guest Blog - Building for Barn Owls

We were recently contacted by Kit from Natural Building Studio, who wanted to share this local story with us about how easy it is to build with wildlife in mind.


Tiggins Meadow is a private rewilding project in East Suffolk. The land was previously used for agriculture but was intensively over-farmed and became infertile. Since 2008, it has been transformed into a private nature reserve; with areas of wildflower meadow, dense hedgerows, seasonal ponds, and thickets of coppiced willow. Over the years, barn owls have visited the site, and have been encouraged to settle by installing barn owl boxes in the trees.

In 2020, a local architecture practice - Natural Building Studio, helped to design and build Tiggins Barn; a tool store, shelter, and workshop space. The questions before we set out were:
How do we build to net-zero carbon?
How do we touch lightly on the landscape?
How do we make a building that creates additional habitat for wildlife?

We built a simple timber framed structure with a ridge line 4.5m above the ground. Owls enjoy a nest box that is at least 3m above ground level. At one gable end, we left a small part of the loft as an uninsulated space. We created a small access hole through the wood facade and built a ledge outside so that owls could easily navigate the entrance.

Within a month of finishing the cladding (before construction has even finished) a barn owl started roosting. We were surprised at how quickly they took to the space, but they must be called Barn Owls for a good reason.

Earlier this spring we found a pair visiting - hopefully they are getting ready to mate and nest.

We used other simple and low-cost techniques to integrate wildlife habitat into the design. The eaves overhang the facade and create ledges suitable for smaller birds to nest. The building is raised off the ground on micro-screw foundations, which are removable, recyclable, negate the need for carbon intensive concrete, and provide a dry and sheltered habitat. The facade has a void behind it which can be inhabited by insects and spiders but can be removed for maintenance or for if bees and wasps take over.

It’s easy to make space in buildings for wildlife. It doesn’t cost more. It doesn’t have to be ‘bolted on’. It can be integrated into a holistic design.

If you would like to learn more, please visit:

www.naturalbuildingstudio.com

or contact Kit:

naturalbuildingstudio@gmail.com