Access4Hedgehogs
HEDGEHOGS ARE SADLY IN DRASTIC DECLINE IN THE UK
there are many reasons for this which you can find out more on our
However we also seem to be continuously putting obstacles in their way which with a little forethought can easily be avoided.
THE ISSUE...
An urban hedgehog will during the course of its nightly foraging travel around a mile and a quarter visiting a number of gardens looking for insects, something to drink and for suitable places to make a home.
Sadly hedgehogs are finding this increasingly difficult in many urban areas due to new housing developments building on and dividing the landscape and with impenetrable fencing.
Not only has the traditional hedge become too much of a bother to maintain with the resultant loss of habitat for hedgehogs, birds and insects but the wooden fence has been made totally impenetrable by the addition of concrete gravel boards. It would seem that our gardens are to be separated entirely from anything on four legs.
This is increasingly becoming an issue as more new housing developments are built.
For example in our surrounding area there are at present at least four new developments in areas with traditionally large gardens where now they are to become around 150 smaller gardens with yes, you guessed it, impenetrable gravel boards.
These are areas we know have good hedgehog populations but this segregation of gardens will put severe pressures on these populations reducing the area available to them for foraging and finding places to nest. Inevitably it also forces them to navigate more roads to find access to open gardens where they run the risk of being another squashed hedgehog at the side of the road.
This is a local snapshot of what it a national issue, but with your support we aim to change the fortunes of hedgehogs country wide.
On starting this project back in early 2013 we tried to speak to the local developers and to be frank the level of interest about doing something about access for hedgehogs in general was nil. However we intended to change this and since then things have started to change and developers and fencing manufacturers have started to come on board with us.
One small local small scale development put in access gaps for hedgehogs and the gardens there now have hedgehogs visiting. Proof in any were needed that this small change makes a big difference and the old adage of 'provide for and they will come' holds very true.
THE SOLUTION ....is neither vastly time consuming or costly.
On speaking to one contractor he told us that it would take him about 10 minutes per garden to put in place the simple solution we suggested.
What is this solution that initially made developers pretend to be out of the office or far too busy to speak to us?
It is a 4 - 5" hole in one gravel board per garden which is enough to allow a hedgehog to access all of the gardens and that wouldn't cause an issue for a pet such as a dog.
Hedgehogs really need all of us to be on their side if we are to try and reverse the drastic decline in their numbers-
-a decline from an estimated 36 million in the 1950's to under 1 million today.
We are trying to raise awareness of this situation and we hope that you will join us in lobbying councils, planners, developers and builders to make this a standard practice.
We also need you to consider your garden and if hedgehogs can get into it. If they can't then a simple 4-5" gap in a fence will allow them access and if you can get your neighbours to do the same even better creating safe corridors for hedgehogs to travel along giving opportunity to forage for food and to find places to nest.
All we want is for our native and iconic European Hedgehog to be able to continue living alongside us in areas where it has always lived but now finds itself without a home as the gardens are now segregated to the point of no access at all.
What can you do?
..it's a simple message
News & Updates
Bovis Homes in discussion with us have agreed to pilot Access for Hedgehogs in Worcestershire. On review this could be rolled out to all Bovis builds in the UK.
“Maintaining and enhancing local ecology and sustainability is extremely important to us and we do our utmost to ensure that the needs of even the smallest of local residents are taken care of. This is why the ecological corridor is such a feature of this unique development and will hopefully be something we can include in plans for future sites.”
Press release from Bovis Homes Bovis Homes Building Hedgehog Habitats
Redrow Homes in discussion with us have agreed to include Access for Hedgehogs in new developments throughout the Midlands.
"Redrow are more than happy to work with Willows Hedgehog Rescue with developments within the Midlands area in providing access holes to be put in fencing for hedgehogs"
They want us to meet them and their ecological consultants so the changes can be built into their documentation and rolled out.
Newlands Homes have agreed to include access for hedgehogs in their new development in Oakalls Bromsgrove. Re-evaluating the build to find the best way to give access routes.
2014/2015
New Developers/Developments
We have been in discussions with several more developers and concerning several more developments and we will be including further information on these as talks progress.
Fencing Manufacturers
We have have recently spoken to a fencing manufacturer and they are making a hedgehog friendly relacement gravel board to retail to the building industry and to the public. We are at present awaiting a sample and will update once we have this.
The Hedgehog friendly access board is now available and can be found Wilfirs manufactured in the choice of recycled plastic or wood. Each board sold means Access for Hedgehogs and a £1.00 donation from Wilfirs to Willows Hedgehog Rescue.
Wilfirs Willows Wooden Gravel Board
Wilfirs Willows Plastic Gravel Board
Media
We are continuing to work with the media to promote wildlife friendly gardening and Access for Hedgehogs.
We are working on two information flyers this year for; Pledges4Hedgies and Access4Hedgehogs.
Does it work?
We know it works but we thought that it might be nice to be able to promote peoples experiences, so we are going to post some of these here.
Thanks & Contractor List/Status.
Thank you to The Green Party, Spikes World, Ark Wildlife for helping us to spread the message via tweets etc.
Thank you to a number of other hedgehog rescues for taking this campaign on board and promoting via social media including: Hogfields, HogsPrickle, Howey Hedgehog Rescue, Bradley Stoke Hedgehog Rescue, Prickly Haven Hedgehog Rescue, Woodland Hedgehog Rescue, Epping Forest Hedgehog Rescue, Happy Hedgehog Yateley, RSPCA Worcestershire.
Please let us know if you promote this campaign so we can thank you.
Developers directly spoken to by us:
-
Newlands Homes - are now considering including access for hedgehogs & their technical director has agreed to include access for hedgehogs in their new Oakalls development in Bromsgrove.
- Bellwell Developments - emailed- awaiting response.
- Bovis Homes - have agreed to pilot access for hedgehogs in all
- Bromsgrove Housing Trust- emailed- awaiting response.
- WM Housing- considering on a development by development .basis
- Knarsboro Homes- are now in discussion with us
- Persimmon Homes- Midlands area will not consider implementing as they are conscerned with pets in gardens for example rabbits & guinea pigs.
- Barrat Homes - are now in discussion with us
In 2014 we printed 5000 Access for Hedgehogs Leaflets made available in: PDSA, Blue Cross, Just 4 Pets, Smash & Grab, Plaza Coffee, Urban Angel, Oxfam Bookshop Bromsgrove. Thank you to all these stores & shops for helping us to spread the message.
In 2015 we are intending to produce new leaflets and to get various organisations involved to help us distribute the information to as many people as possible in Worcestershire. Details as this progresses.
PRESS ARTICLES
Worcester News - Access for Hedgehogs
Malvern Gazette - Support Iconic Hedgehog
Edge Magazine - Bovis & Willows Hedgehog Habitats
Bromsgrove Standard - Willows Hedgehog Friendly Town
above articles also appeared in other newspapers & publications.
Illustrations & Character "Willow" Copyright CharlieCreek 2013
Please support Hedgehogs and wildlife