The aim of this project is to provide a corridor of hedgehog-accessible gardens between Palace Park Wood and nearby Palace Field. As hedgehogs roam up to 2km a night in search of food and mates, access through gardens is vital to their survival.

The hedgehog highway is part of a wider project improving habitats for wildlife, and access for people, at Palace Park Wood. The project is funded by Enovert Community Trust, with money from landfill tax. This project includes the creation of a new wildlife priority area around the recently created new pond, which is where the highway will begin.

The main project area includes Bubblestone Road, The Butts, The Old Walk, Well Road, Evelyn Road and Sidney Gardens. If you live in one of these roads, we would love you to get involved in the project. However, if you do not live in the main project area, there is still plenty you can do to help hedgehogs.

 

What can you do to help?

• Become part of the Hedgehog Highway by adding hedgehog holes to your garden – This is the number one way you can help hedgehogs in your garden. Creating a small gap in your garden fence to allow access for hedgehogs will make a big difference.
The hole needs to be 13cm x 13cm. That’s 5.1 inches, or about the size of a CD case.
We will give you a free hedgehog highway sign to put over your new hole.

• If you already have a hedgehog hole in your garden let us know – We are mapping all the hedgehog holes in the area, so we can see how they link together to form highways between green spaces.

• Monitor your hedgehog hole with a camera trap – If you make a new hole, we can lend you a camera trap to watch over it. You will be able to see if any hedgehogs are making use of it, plus any other visitors you might get in your garden at night.

• Make your garden hedgehog friendly – There are lots of ways you can help hedgehogs in your garden. This leaflet provided from hedgehog street gives some top tips for hedgehog friendly gardening – 10 top tips for hedgehog-friendly gardening

• Report your sightings – Use the www.bighedgehogmap.org to record your hedgehogs and map your holes. The more we know about where hedgehogs are, the better we can help them.

• Become a Hedgehog Champion! – Go to Hedgehog champions for more information about how to sign up to be a hero for hedgehogs.

Don’t have the right tools?
We can lend you a toolkit or send a friendly volunteer to help

Worried about pets escaping?
Most pets can’t fit through a 13cm hole, but if yours are especially small, you could cover the hole during the day and open it when you shut your pet in for the night.
Hedgehogs only need access at night

Don’t want to damage your fence?
How about digging a gap underneath it instead?

Got a wall, not a fence?
Maybe you could remove a brick from the bottom row or dig a channel under the wall.

Don’t want to talk to your neighbours?
We can talk to them for you.

Please get in touch if you would like help to get involved in the Otford Hedgehog Highway project.
Contact: lucy.sawyer-boyd@kent.gov.uk / 07809334071