Hedgehogs in rural areas are in severe decline with numbers plummeting by half since the millennium.

British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) and People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) have published an illustrated guide offering detailed advice for farmers and landowners, showing the different ways that they can make their land more hedgehog-friendly, without compromising their day-to-day work.

The guide includes advice on hedgerow management, field margins, field sizes, ploughing regimes and the usefulness of scrub areas.

The guide also contains information about the current Countryside Stewardship schemes for land managers if they adopt some of the suggested techniques. There is also a section on how to survey for hedgehogs, if they are present.

Emily Wilson, Hedgehog Officer at Hedgehog Street says: “From the recent State of Britain’s Hedgehogs report we know rural hedgehogs in particular are in real trouble. The reasons for their decline are complex, but the main contributing factors relate to the amount and quality of habitat available in the rural landscape, which in turn impacts the availability of invertebrate prey and nesting places. Hedgehogs, like other creatures, rely on hedgerows and field margins, so with less of both, and with many hedges in poor condition, hedgehogs have fewer safe places to roam. Badgers (competitors for the same food sources and the main natural predators of hedgehogs) may also be a factor in areas where hedgehogs have fewer safe places to take refuge.”

“We know there are many farmers across the UK already doing fantastic work by farming their land in a sensitive manner in a bid to help hedgehogs, but we really need to engage with more farmers if we’re to make a difference to rural hedgehog numbers. We hope this guide will provide the guidance needed to help hedgehogs and other wildlife in rural areas.”

For the free guide email hedgehogs@ptes.org or download it online from hedgehogstreet.org