Photo credit: British Hedgehog Preservation Society
As a Parish we are striving to become more hedgehog friendly, especially as our hedgehogs are now classified as being vulnerable to extinction the biggest causes being loss of habitat and road accidents. We are getting the whole Parish involved from our young children, teenagers, parents all the way through to grandparents.
While so many of us are at home, now is the perfect time to start making little changes in our gardens and outside spaces, which will have a really positive impact on our spiky residents as they wake up from hibernation. As well as hopefully encouraging our young adults to get outside. The smallest change can make a big difference.
What we can do
Please see beloW for some ideas of what you can do in your gardens and outdoor spaces:
Hedgehog highway sign and fencing. Hedgehog hole.
We also would love to publicise your efforts so please send any pictures you are Hedgehog General leaflet happy for us to share to communityevents@ecclesfield-pc.gov.uk and lets boost our hedgehog population.
Build a hedgehog home instructions
Hedgehog Heroes Honours List
As a Council we are proud to have been awarded Hedgehog Hero status by the Hedgehog Preservation Society and appear on their honour roll (https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/hedgehog-heroes-roll-honour/) We want to include all of our wonderful Parish members in this as well and have therefore launched our own honour list. So if you have hedgehogs in your garden please send us some photos along with your top hedgehog tips and you can become our next Hedgehog hero!
Angela, High Green – Has made hedgehog houses, and ramps to make steps easier, says hedgehogs “…truly are a gardener’s friend – my Hosta plants never looked better than when I had several hedgehogs devouring all the slugs!”. Three of Angela’s neighbours also have Hedgehog houses and put food and water down to help them along their way, which is completely fantastic!
Hedgehog house
A Blonde hedgehog in Angela’s garden
Hedgehogs can find steps difficult, so little ramps work wonders
A hedgehog snuggled in their hedgehog house
A blonde and more common brown one
Naiose and Ronnie, Burncross – Have made their garden a haven for hedgehogs with, hedgehog homes and holes.
A purpose built hedgehog home
A hedgehog hole
Shirley – High Green: Has an old upturned wheelbarrow stuffed with sticks and leaves which is left in an undisturbed, wild corner of her garden.She has also implemented a makeshift hedgehog archway in some temporary fencing to allow hedgehogs to travel through and we are posting out some hedgehog highway plaques to help ensure this stays open.
Pictured a hedgehog highway hole and upturned wheel barrow and wild area perfect for our spiky residents!
Ella, Tom and Becky – Grenoside:
Some lovely photos taken in Ella, Tom and Becky’s back garden in Grenoside, showing the Hedgehogs that they have. It looks like a family – how wonderful!
