Initiatives

Protecting our Hedgehogs

Hedgehogs are one of 17 priority species in the Warwickshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy, see the Warwickshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy Consultation.

Numbers of rural hedgehogs have declined nationally by between 30 – 75% since 2000. However, they are showing signs of recovery in urban and suburban areas. Hedgehogs have been seen in many communities in South Warwickshire and some are making specific efforts to support them. A detailed analysis of hedgehog populations in the UK can be found here: People’s Trust for Endangered Species – The State of Britain’s Hedgehogs 2022.

Success Stories

Clifford Chambers – a hedgehog friendly village

Ten years ago, hedgehogs were rarely seen in Clifford and long-term residents bemoaned the decrease in hog numbers since their younger days. And so began ‘Wild About Clifford’s’ first project, to foster, release and care for their village hedgehogs. You can read more about the project here: (document to upload).

Upper Lighthorne Parish Council

The parish council have been awarded a grant by Stratford on Avon District Council’s Community Climate and Nature Fund. Their ambition is to become a hedgehog improvement area through raising awareness, encouraging hedgehog habitat management, at a parish community level, and improvement of habitat. As an existing and new housing community build they are presented with a unique opportunity to bring the plight of the hedgehog to the awareness of local developers as well as new and existing residents through relevant policy development and action.

National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme in Warwickshire

The National Hedgehog Monitoring Programme (NHMP) is a pilot project aiming to improve our understanding of hedgehog populations across the UK. While earlier surveys have shown where hedgehogs are found, they do not reveal how populations are changing or where declines are most severe.

The NHMP focuses on identifying regional and habitat-specific trends to understand the factors affecting hedgehogs and to help develop effective conservation actions to support their recovery.

The programme works with partner organisations, including Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, to carry out surveys in a range of environments such as parks, gardens, urban areas, and the countryside. Volunteers install motion-sensing cameras at selected sites, recording activity over a 30-day period. These images are then analysed to help build a clearer picture of hedgehog populations.

Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is taking part in the NHMP as the Warwickshire Hub and plans to repeat monitoring at selected sites in 2025. One of the monitoring locations in 2025 was the University of Warwick campus at Wellesbourne.

Tysoe Wildlife

Tysoe Wildlife are collecting used stamps for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

It’s not just our Curlews which are in danger of extinction, sadly our prickly hedgehog friends are too! Please help us to help them by collecting your used stamps and posting them in the big red hedgehog postbox in St Mary’s Church porch and Tysoe Wildlife will send them on to the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

Please leave 5mm of envelope around the stamps. Ripped or written on stamps are not suitable.