It is cool to care for nature

Shelter

All creatures need shelter, not only to find respite from the elements but also to hide away from predators, of which there are many, and to find a safe place to build a nest and raise their young.

Birds need dense shrubs like the native privet which is an evergreen with the extra bonus of wonderful smelling flowers. Ivy is a 'must'. Bees love cotoneaster, many birds enjoy the berries in autumn, it spreads well and is excellent for shelter. I have planted a lot of gorse and wild roses as well.

I have made 25 nesting boxes with holes of varying sizes and some open-fronted boxes as well. Most are now in use which is very satisfying.

Other creatures like hiding under piles of stones or wood. Old drainpipes seem very popular but the favourite place for moles and field mice seems to be superfluous sheets of corrugated iron and pieces of butyl liner. Careful where you tread!
The compost heap is another very useful place, both for hiding as well as feeding as it is always full of insects, and I usually see little wrens and robins around that area.

No need to burn anything as any heap of rotting branches, grass clippings, fallen leaves or even whole fallen trees becomes a place of interest for all kinds of insects. I very rarely actually clear or burn anything, instead I put things on a heap somewhere, away from the house, and nature will do the rest! The reward for a less manicured look is a place teeming with wildlife in all shapes and sizes.