Sometimes the persistent campaigning - polite letter writing and general refusal to take no for an answer - can make a difference!
Back in July I wrote about the Hedgehog Friendly Fencing campaign started by Hedgehog Street. The first major national company to sign up can now be revealed - and it is Jewsons.
They have pledged to help native hedgehogs by offering customers a number of 'innovative solutions' including gravel boards with pre-installed ‘Hedgehog Highways’. These 13cm square gaps (usually in or under garden boundaries) - give hedgehogs much-needed access to other gardens and green spaces, which is vital for their long-term survival.
Have you written any letters? There is a template here. One person who has been very active is 17 year old Hedgehog Champion Dylan Allman whose involvement in the campaign and passion for hedgehogs inspired Jewson to take action. Dylan started his Hedgehog Aware campaign during lockdown and since then has helped Hedgehog Street to spread the word about how everyone can get involved.
There is a remarkable bunch of young people out there picking up the pieces we have left behind. I am reminded of that very much while watching '8 out of 10 BATS' - Chris Packham and Megan McCubbin's independent shoe-string replacement bus service for the cancelled AutumnWatch. It is brilliant - two weeks of shows put together without the budget of the BBC - you can grab the ones you have missed on the YouTube link I have just added ... they are far more political than the BBC would allow - last night they were talking about the decision in Northern Ireland after the badger cull was ruled unlawful in a judicial review brought by the amazing Wild Justice team.
Chris also talked openly about the need for protest to protect nature. Governments are not going to do it of their own goodwill - it runs counter to their view of growth by destruction. So we need to ask - and then, when ignored, demand they act.
Sorry - but my point - Chris and Megs could easily have populated this show with the male, pale and stale - the old white men (like me!!!) - but have very deliberately embraced diversity with a real focus on younger communicators. Lucy Lapwing gifting us never to be forgotten details about crabs being hacked by barnacles, Indy being obsessed by a jay feather, Jasmine talking about bees (such an amazing segment) - anyway - these young folk rock. And while this might be controversial ... I think I actually prefer this format (springing as it does from the fertile ground of the Self Isolating Bird Club ... the best thing to come out of covid (apart from our street WhatsApp group!)) to the more traditional 'watches' ....
Anyway - there is hope for the future - there, in the actions of Dylan and the sparkling skills of this new wave of presenters.
Do I need to do a bonfire update? Or have you all got it now? Hedgehogs find our bonfires to be amazing homes so NEVER build a bonfire earlier than the day you are going to burn it - so they don't snuggle up and suffer.
This update's picture has been given to Hedgehog Street by Christopher Morgan and it is brilliant!
Right - I had better get back to writing about bats!
Twitter, Instagram, donations.