Biodiversity in British prisons

Bullingdon community prison, near Bicester in Oxfordshire is one of many prisons encouraging biodiversity Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Tony, serving time at Spring Hill for drugs offences, forks over the wormery Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Richard, serving nine years for sex offences, inspects a bird box at Bullingdon. Dr Phil Thomas, sustainable development manager for the prison's estate, says the work benefits the community and makes prisoners less likely to re-offend Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

A sign inside Bullingdon directs people across the workshop area, where various conservation and community projects are carried out by prisoners Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Tony making bird boxes suitable for raptors, at Spring Hill. Last year, inmates constructed over 700 bird boxes from scrap wood for the prison grounds and sites managed by the RSPB. They are now working on an order for 250 more Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Pool tables visible through the metal bars at Bullingdon community prison Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

A bird box suitable for sparrows, made by prisoners of Bullingdon, visible just above a razor wire fence Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Richard inspects a bird box attached to the prison wall at Bullingdon Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Biodiversity is encouraged in many forms. For example, a nature conservation area just outside the walls of Bullingdon prison is used to keep honey bees Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

The honey bees at Bullingdon prison Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Bird boxes suitable for woodpeckers are kept outside the prison wall Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Alex, serving a sentence at Spring Hill for GBH, constructs a bat house Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Alex says, “It’s a lot better than doing nothing. We get a very minimal wage, but we are very self-motivated and we enjoy what we do.” Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

Stuart Jenkins, acting site manager at Bullingdon prison Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner

A box suitable for owls, made by prisoners, outside the fence and razor wire at Spring Hill Photograph: Graham Turner/Graham Turner