HEDGEHOG FRIENDLY FENCING CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
A new campaign has been launched in a bid to make garden fencing with ready-made ‘Hedgehog Highways’ available as industry standard, and members of the public are being asked to help.
Habitat fragmentation is one of the main issues affecting Britain’s hedgehogs but 13cm square gaps in fences, known as ‘Hedgehog Highways’, help to combat this prickly problem.
Hedgehog Street, a nationwide campaign by charities People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS), is behind this new movement. It aims to give native hedgehogs – listed as vulnerable to extinction on the Red List for Britain’s Mammals 2020 – better access to neighbouring gardens and green spaces, which is vital for the species’ long-term survival.
Members of the public and Hedgehog Champions (a 120,000-strong group of passionate volunteers who have already pledged to help the small, spikey mammals) are being urged to write to local and national fencing companies using free template letters provided by Hedgehog Street, requesting hedgehog friendly fencing options in their product ranges. This includes pre-made Hedgehog Highways in fences or gravel boards. Companies who agree will be showcased on Hedgehog Street’s website, celebrating those who have pledged to help Britain’s favourite mammal.
Grace Johnson, Hedgehog Officer for Hedgehog Street explains: “Hedgehog numbers have plummeted in recent years, with losses of up to 75% in parts of the countryside. Hedgehogs can travel 2km in a single night, and fences prevent hedgehogs from accessing different gardens looking for food, shelter and potential mates, which is essential for their survival. Making a Hedgehog Highway is an incredibly simple yet effective solution, especially if manufacturers and suppliers offered ready-made products as standard and made customers and installers aware of them.”
Some manufacturers are already helping hedgehogs, including Jacksons Fencing and Birkdale, but much more help is needed. Earlier this summer leading builders merchant Selco Builders Warehouse introduced their ‘Supreme Pro Hedgehog Hole Gravel Boards’ – each with a pre-fitted Hedgehog Highway – across its 75 stores and online, which was welcome news to Hedgehog Street. It is hoped other manufacturers will follow suit and pledge to make and sell similar products.
