Council invites children to design ‘homes for hedgehogs’ to protect key wildlife

The competition is being run to highlight National Hedgehog Awareness Week (4–10 May) and improve biodiversity around the borough as part of Welwyn Hatfield’s response to the climate emergency.

Hedgehogs in the UK are now classed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’, mainly due to human activity. Habitat loss and expanding roads have reduced their food sources and fragmented their environment. Hedgehogs are an important part of the ecosystem, and the decline in their numbers suggests the overall quality of the environment is also declining.

To help reverse the decline, children are being invited to design a creative home for hedgehogs, label it to explain why they have chosen certain features, provide their name and age, and email the design to climatechange@welhat.gov.uk

Five lucky winners will be chosen to receive a hedgehog house for their garden or school.

Councillor Sandreni Bonfante, Executive Member for Environment, said:

“Hedgehogs are one of the most popular British animals and play a crucial role in the ecosystem, but they are increasingly under threat from human activity.

“We’re committed to increasing biodiversity across the borough, and this competition will help us to protect local wildlife.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing the hedgehog homes that our residents create. Best of luck to all those who take part!”

Competition entries must be received before 5pm on Friday 30 May. The winners will be announced during The Great Big Green Week, which runs from 7 to 15 June.

More information about the competition, facts about hedgehogs and ways to help protect hedgehogs can be found at https://one.welhat.gov.uk/great-big-green-week-2024/homes-hedgehogs-competition

We will be encouraging residents to visit the British Hedgehog Preservation Society website for tips on how to help protect hedgehogs.