HOGGING THE LIMELIGHT

As children, The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-winkle beguiled us with its delightful charm. Years later, we probably think we’re immune to this prickly creature’s spell . . . but no.

As a result of a national push a couple of years ago, the Ipswich Hedgehog Project started with the intention of making the town the most hedgehog-friendly in Britain, writes John Greeves.

The project was to inform people about the threats to hedgehogs, and to promote practical actions to reverse their decline. A hedgehog officer, no less, Ali North was appointed to co-ordinate.

“Hedgehog highways” were created in local gardens, thanks to small holes in fences and walls. Related events ranged from craft afternoons, family nature trails, hedgehog stalls, small mammal survey mornings and night safaris. Hedgehog Champions were recruited to help in this important work, and the outcomes have been impressive. “Hedgehog conservation has captured the imagination of the town!” Ali North says. “We’ve logged over 700 hedgehog-accessible gardens in Ipswich, and 3,000 new hedgehog sightings across the UK, with around 2,000 in Suffolk. “We’ve provided training for over 200 land managers, planners and ecologists, and have seen a 25 per cent increase in the number of new planning applications that include permeable fencing as a condition. “We’ve worked with over 6,000 people to raise hedgehog awareness, trained over 400 people in hedgehog survey techniques and have had trail cameras monitoring over 250 gardens! “We have also developed a network of over 50 Hedgehog Champions, each encouraging their own social networks to take action for hedgehogs in their gardens and streets.” Bravo, we say! And if your town is even more hedgehog-friendly, then please let us know.