Shaftesbury Hedgehog Group

Shaftesbury is now a Hedgehog Friendly Town - one of over 30 towns and villages that have achieved this status in Dorset as part of the Dorset Mammal Group project to reverse the decline of hedgehog populations in Dorset.

 

Shaftesbury Hedgehog Group is working to help support our community to do as much as we can to make Shaftesbury into a hedgehog friendly habitat.

 

We do this by working with Dorset Mammal Group, Shaftesbury Homegrown to organise events, raising awareness and work with individuals and organisations to identify simple opportunities to make things a bit safer and more attractive to hedgehogs.

There's also an opportunity to help rescue and rehabilitation of injured or underweight hogs.

Events

 

Workshop - making hedgehog habitats

When: Saturday 16th October 10:30 - 12:30 - arrive from 10.15am

 

What: A practical workshop making hedgehog habitats and looking at how to create hedgehog friendly features in your garden.

 

Where: Shaftesbury Homegrown, just off Breach Lane

 

We will be:

• looking round the site spotting examples of good hedgehog habitat;

• making stick or log piles suitable for hedgehog use as a summer house or for winter hibernation;

• making a feeding station and talking about what foods to feed;

• setting up a camera trap and learning tips and tricks for getting good photos and videos of your garden wildlife;

• sharing ideas and inspiration for your own hedgehog friendly gardens; and

• launching the Hedgehog Friendly Garden competition!

 

Bring gardening gloves, stout shoes or wellies, your own drink or flask, and dress for the weather.

 

Cake will be provided!

 

All welcome and suitable for all ages - children must be accompanied by an adult

 

Parking is limited, please walk if you are able

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If you aren't able to make the whole session, do pop in at any time between 10:30 and 12:30 to find out more about the competition, get some inspiration and pick up an entry form.

Shaftesbury Hedgehog Friendly Garden Competition

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Hibernation season is coming up and to help our hedgehogs get the best possible chance this winter we are launching a competition for the best hedgehog friendly garden in Shaftesbury!

 

*Win a deluxe hedgehog house for your garden*

 

We want to know what you have done to make your garden hedgehog friendly

Extra marks awarded for imagination, practicality and collaboration!

 

Things you could include:

A wild area

Log piles, stick piles, leaf piles

A hedgehog house

Hedgehog gaps in fence lines

Working with hedgehog friendly neighbours

Not using slug pellets or other pesticides

A pond or other water source (make sure the pond has an escape route!)

A hedgehog feeding station (make sure you are only using appropriate foods, feeding the wrong things can be very harmful! – see https://bit.ly/3oGu2Mo)

Gardening to attract lots of hedgehog food (insects, grubs and worms!)

 

See the links below for more inspiration and come along to the workshop at Shaftesbury Homegrown on 16th October.

 

Free to enter

Deadline for entries Friday 29th October

 

 

Download an entry form here:

 

 

Paper forms will also be available in town soon - keep an eye on the Planet Shaftesbury website for updates.