Homes for Hedgehogs Competition
To highlight National Hedgehog awareness week 4–10 May 2025, and as part of Welwyn Hatfield’s response to the climate emergency, by improving biodiversity around the borough, Welwyn Hatfield Council are excited to announce a ‘Homes for Hedgehogs’ competition.
UK Hedgehogs are classified as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ on the Red List for British Mammals. They play an important part in the ecosystem and act as a key stone/indicator species, and the decline in hedgehog numbers suggests the overall quality of the environment is also declining.
There are many reasons why hedgehogs numbers may be decreasing, with the main causes being attributed to reduction in food and safe places to hibernate (loss of habitat).
- Fields used for farming have become larger, meaning there are fewer hedgerows for hedgehogs to find food and hibernate in.
- Front gardens are being converted into paved driveways and new houses are being designed with smaller, enclosed rear gardens, reducing the amount of suitable habitats for hedgehogs and reducing access from one area to another.
- The number of roads have also increased, along with the number of vehicles being driven on them, meaning habitats get cut off from one another (fragmentation) leading to isolated populations and increased deaths
We ask you to:
- Design a creative home for a hedgehog (you can include different materials, and it can be as big or small as you like)
- Label the design to explain why you have chosen certain features
- Provide your name and age
- Email the design to climatechange@welhat.gov.uk
Entries must be received before 5pm on Friday 30 May.
Entries will be judged by a number of Councillors and the Chief Executive of the Welwyn Hatfield Council. Entrants must live within the borough. Five lucky winners will be chosen to receive a generic hedgehog house to be placed in their garden or school.
The winners will be announced during The Great Big Green Week 7–15 June. Terms and conditions apply.