This is the closest I am ever likely to get to Cara Delevingne, Patrick Stewart, Yoko Ono, Peter Gabriel and Jane Goodall - among many other wonderful luminaries. And all thanks to a comic book!
Let me explain. The human dynamo that is Paul Goodenough contacted me - asking about, you guessed it, hedgehogs - and how we can help. He has an impossibly ambitious plan in mind - using comic strips to tell important stories about the state of nature, about life on earth. Each helping to rewrite the story that we are currently following.
He has managed to recruit not just celebrities but also the absolute pick of the comic book artist world as well. Snippets are being released - the first being a gentle gut-punch of an idea from the actor and model Cara Delevingne.
In the big scheme of things - when confronted by climate change, ocean acidification, tropical forest loss, melting glaciers, the plight of the hedgehog might seem small beans. But Paul is well aware of the importance of the hedgehog - as, I hope, are you.
The hedgehog has something very special - not just its ability to charm, but also the absence of a fight or flight response. This means it is a fantastically evolved predator that we can actually get close to without fear of attack.
Closeness - the sharing of a garden with a hedgehog, the waiting quietly while one snuffles around your toes, the rustle and huff as one pushes through the undergrowth - these moments of closeness bring us into contact with nature in a way that little else allows.
Moments like that can be the catalyst - the spur into action that comes from connection. And as we benefit from those moments of connection, so the hedgehog benefits if we take the trouble to allow them to make their own connections. All we need to do is break down the barriers that stop them moving around our landscape.
Let’s start with the fences and walls that segment our gardens. Now my cartoon - drawn by the utterly wonderful Stig - is worth seeing in full - take your pick of social media platforms - follow them too - LOTS more amazing cartoons coming:
You might just guess the inspiration!!! In fact I am delighted that Michael Rosen has agreed to my adulteration of his good work!
So I ask you to support the amazing work of Rewriting Extinction - to follow the wonderful stories as they emerge over the next few weeks. If you want to get more involved with the discussions around Hedgehog Highways, please join the FaceBook group I set up. And if you want to learn more about the ways you can help build a Hedgehog Street, join the campaign!