London Stansted Airport is celebrating five years of its wildlife habitat area in honour of World Environment Day.

A secluded corner of the airport has become a haven for small animals, insects and plants five years after it was created by the airport's environment team.

Located north of the airport's runway, the 2.5-acre area features four large ponds, grassland and a small, wooded area.

The habitat area when it was first set up in 2019The habitat area when it was first set up in 2019 (Image: London Stansted)

The habitat area is not open to the public, which enables plants and wildflowers like sneezewort, wild angelica, marsh marigold, water figwort and skullcap to flourish.

The dense vegetation and lack of disturbance is also beneficial for animals such as deer, rabbits and badgers, who would otherwise be intimidated by the presence of people.

Great crested newts have also been attracted to the contoured ponds, which are covered with netting to prevent birds from nesting near them.

Martin Churley, group head of environment and sustainability, said: "This area of the airport was long underused, so we decided to return it to nature in 2019 and almost immediately wildlife moved in, including a family of newts.

"We also installed cameras around the site to monitor its progress, and they've captured deer, rabbits, muntjacs, and badgers visiting the area over the last five years.

Martin Churley, group head of environment and sustainabilityMartin Churley, group head of environment and sustainability (Image: London Stansted)

"On World Environment Day, it's wonderful to see our habitat area thriving.

"This really is a magical place that contributes to our aim to reduce the impact of airport operations on wildlife habitats and species, setting a target of zero net loss in biodiversity."

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World Environment Day took place on Wednesday, June 5, and is now in its 51st year. To celebrate, a variety of activities were held across the airport, including Aerozone talks for children, litter picks, competitions and giveaways - including free packets of wildlife seeds for employees.

Martin added: "While we all recognise how important the environment and biodiversity are every day, these events give us a chance to reflect on how every small action counts, and how together, we can make a positive difference.

"This year we’re focusing on biodiversity and ecology, so we're encouraging employees to adopt eco-friendly habits and sustainable practices."