Hedgehog Street

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The show garden at Hampton Court Flower Show (2014). Designed by Tracy Foster, it won a gold medal and the People's Choice Award. Hedgehog Street garden at Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 2014.JPG
The show garden at Hampton Court Flower Show (2014). Designed by Tracy Foster, it won a gold medal and the People's Choice Award.

Hedgehog Street is a UK-based conservation initiative set up by two charitable organisations, the People's Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS). The project was established in 2011 in response to a detected decline [1] [2] [3] in the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus) population in Britain, where it is a native species.

Contents

As of May 2022, over 100,000 volunteers have signed up to be ‘Hedgehog Champions’, committing to making changes in their gardens to encourage and support wild hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus).

The Hedgehog Street website provides volunteers with information about the ecology and behaviour of hedgehogs, tips on ways of managing gardens to benefit them, and free resources to encourage volunteers to recruit other people to participate.

Hedgehogs and Development

One of the major objectives of the campaign is to work with the public and housing developers to connect gardens and greenspaces with 'Hedgehog Highways', which are holes in fences/boundaries that allow hedgehogs to travel further to find food and nesting sites.

Hampton Court Flower Show

In July 2014 there was a Hedgehog Street garden at the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, designed by Tracy Foster, it featured a series of three linked gardens of differing styles. It won a gold medal and the People's Choice Award for 'best small garden'. [4]

Hedgehog Species Champion

In 2017, Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling MP, was appointed the Species Champion for Hedgehogs in Parliament. The Species Champion Project partners Members of Parliament from England with wildlife organisations to bring political support to the protection and promotion of threatened wildlife. The project is run by a group of seven organisations: Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Bat Conservation Trust, Buglife, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Plantlife and the RSPB. Additional support is provided by the Angling Trust, the People's Trust for Endangered Species, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and Somerset Wildlife Trust.

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The European hedgehog, also known as the West European hedgehog or common hedgehog, is a hedgehog species native to Europe from Iberia and Italy northwards into Scandinavia and westwards into the British Isles. It is a generally common and widely distributed species that can survive across a wide range of habitat types. It is a well-known species, and a favourite in European gardens, both for its endearing appearance and its preference for eating a range of garden pests. While populations are currently stable across much of its range, it is declining severely in Great Britain where it is now Red Listed. Outside its native range, the species was introduced to New Zealand during the late-19th and early-20th centuries.

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The European hedgehog was brought to New Zealand by British colonists in the 1870s to remind them of their homeland. They have spread throughout the country, being absent only in inhospitable environments. The general public has a benign attitude to them but conservationists and regional councils regard them as pests, as they prey on native animals and compete with them for food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">People's Trust for Endangered Species</span>

Peoples Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) is a charitable organisation registered in England and Wales. It exists to promote the conservation of rare or declining species and habitats in the UK and worldwide through monitoring, public engagement, education, and through the funding of conservation projects and research. It also owns and manages two nature reserves. As of April 2015, PTES has 16 employees, five trustees and coordinates around 24,000 volunteers in the UK. PTES relies on donations from the general public and grants from trusts and foundations to continue its work - it receives no core funding from the UK Government. The organisation has registered charity number 274206.

Marsh Charitable Trust, also known as Marsh Christian Trust, is a national charity in the United Kingdom, based in London. It is a registered charity under English law, and was established in 1981 by Brian Marsh, the current Chairman. Marsh was appointed an OBE for services to business and charity in the 2005 New Year Honours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum</span>

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References

  1. Hof, A. (2009) A study of the current status of the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus), and its decline in Great Britain since 1960, PhD Thesis
  2. "Roos, S., Johnston, A. & Noble, D. (2012) The State of Britain's Hedgehogs, BTO Research Report No. 598" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
  3. "The State of Britain's Hedgehogs (2011) by David Wembridge, PTES" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-11-08. Retrieved 2013-06-07.
  4. Hedgehog Street RHS website