Cat's Life: Cumbrians urged to create garden havens as Hedgehog Awareness Week begins
Gardeners across Cumbria are being encouraged to turn their outdoor spaces into safe havens for one of Britain's most cherished wild animals, as Hedgehog Awareness Week gets underway.
The annual campaign, which began on Sunday, May 4, is run by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and highlights challenges hedgehogs face, while offering practical ways the public can help protect them.
Hedgehogs have seen a drastic population decline of around 75 percent in the last two decades, largely due to the destruction of their natural habitat through urban expansion, new developments and changes to garden layouts.
Despite the worrying national trend, Cumbria has historically shown strong signs of support for its prickly residents.
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In 2016, Kendal was recognised as the most 'hedgehog friendly' townNow, homeowners are being called on to build on that legacy. MyBuilder.com, a trusted platform connecting people with skilled tradespeople, has launched a campaign encouraging people to make their gardens more welcoming to hedgehogs.
A step-by-step guide has been created by gardening experts, providing practical advice on how to make small but significant changes.
MyBuilder.com's 'hedgehog-friendly guide' (Image: MyBuilder.com)
Tips to create a home 'fit for a hog'
Leave some areas wild
Wild areas provide a natural food source and a place of nesting. Allowing dense plants, such as nettles, to grow will provide shelter for your hedgehogs throughout the months.
You could even consider creating a 'meadow edge' of wildflowers, which looks attractive while serving an ecological purpose.
ADVERTISEMENT
Avoid using pesticides or slug pellets
Slug pellets are really harmful to hedgehogs so avoid using them. Hedgehogs eat slugs, so even if they don't get to the pellets themselves, if they eat a slug that has, it can poison them.
There are many natural ways to deter pests in your garden which include 'Beer traps' (bowls of beer sunk in the ground) or sprinkling coffee grounds round the base of plants.
Check your garden before mowing
You could embrace No Mow May - but if mowing your lawn, check any areas of long grass before going ahead as hedgehogs love it.
Walk your lawn, mow slowly and give hedgehogs a chance to hear the mower.
Build a hedgehog home
Hedgehog houses are quick and easy to make and all you need is a few bits of timber, a hammer, and some nails. The entrance to the home should be around 13cm x 13cm, with a total space of 25cm high and 35cm x 35cm inside.
ADVERTISEMENT
Never paint the inside of your hedgehog house and avoid putting food inside it.
Cover drains
Uncovered drains can be a hazard for hedgehogs and they can easily fall in.
Cover them using a specific 'manhole cover' used for drains, or using a water-filled bag on a more temporary basis.
Leave constant access
Hedgehogs are nocturnal and roam around 1-2km every night, so they will appreciate having a wide range of outdoor areas they can explore.
Cut out a 13cmx13cm hole at the bottom of your fence. Alternatively, you can dig a channel underneath your fence if you don't want to put a hole through it.
To really help wildlife, consider replacing a fence with a hedge to allow easy access and provide shelter.
Consider losing a panel if you live in a new build
New-build homes have had problems with fences being built too tight together, which can prevent hedgehogs from accessing your garden. To mitigate this issue, consider losing a panel or two at the side of your fence.
ADVERTISEMENT
James Lewis, a gardening expert from MyBuilder.com (Image: MyBuilder.com) Sharon Jacobs, a senior nurse at Tigglywinkle's Wildlife Hospital said: "This guide provides great basic steps for British gardeners to take to really create an area that is supportive to the safety and health of hedgehogs.
"On top of this, we would urge gardeners to take care when mowing, strimming, or hedgecutting. We see thousands of injuries from this sort of activity every year, and it can be easily avoided by checking the areas you are working on before starting.'
To support the campaign, locals can join the conversation using #CumbriaHedgehogs and access the full guide at: www.mybuilder.com/blog/help-for-hedgehogs
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