1 Summary
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust is seeking funding to create a Hedgehog Improvement Area (HIA) in Elmdon,
Solihull to carry out habitat improvements, survey work and community engagement. Through this mixed method approach to community-based conservation, the HIA aims to bolster local hedgehog populations and inspire local people and organisations to take action to help the species, thus making a measurable positive difference for local hedgehog populations.
To do this we are asking for funds to appoint a dedicated Hedgehog Officer to deliver the HIA initiative in
Solihull. This role will commence in January 2015 for a year.
2 Background
In spring 2013 Warwickshire Wildlife Trust launched the Help for Hedgehogs campaign which aims to improve the situation for hedgehogs throughout the county by administering a large scale hedgehog survey, raising awareness of hedgehog conservation issues in the community, developing partnerships with local schools/businesses and raising funds to deliver targeted grassroots hedgehog conservation actions.
From the outset the campaign has striven encourage the wider community to celebrate the species in fun and creative ways, as a means of inspiring individuals to take positive actions for hedgehogs in their areas.
The campaign has proven to be very successful in many ways. Notably the level of genuine interest from the community on the whole and from schools / local businesses in particular has meant that we have a large amount of support and momentum for the campaign. Importantly, expressions of interest from specific groups and businesses have resulted in the development of strong relationships which we intend to build on to make tangible differences for hedgehog populations in Warwickshire.
Our ongoing large scale survey has had over 1000 responses to date and we are now starting to build up a good picture of where to best focus practical and effective conservation initiatives at a neighbourhood level.

Hedgehog Improvement Area: Elmdon, Solihull
The survey data has allowed us to identify Elmdon in Solihull as a suitable Hedgehog Improvement Area
(HIA). Principally, the new HIA initiative will bridge the gap between the successful awareness raising, fundraising and partnership working elements of the Help for Hedgehogs campaign to date, with the need for practical grassroots conservation improvements for hedgehogs in each area.
The HIA in Elmdon has been chosen for its potential for:
1.
Incorporating a “Hedgehog Reserve” - The area must have a suitable green space at its core to act as a central “sanctuary”. Hedgehogs can then colonise surrounding areas over time. Solihull
Metropolitan Borough Council’s (SMBC) Elmdon Park, together with the Trust’s Elmdon Manor nature reserve will act as the hedgehog reserve for the HIA which amounts to 90.5ha of land. (See
Appendix for area maps).
2.
Working with local communities - The idea is to bring communities together to make long-lasting improvements for hedgehogs in each area. Elmdon has a dynamic population of 12,067 people
(2011) and the Trust is well-known in this area, with our busy Parkridge visitor centre located nearby. The HIA initiative will build on the work of the Hedgehog Street campaign in Solihull and will coordinate wider community cooperation to connect residential gardens together in Elmdon.
3.
Measuring success - The area must provide suitable conditions to survey and monitor hedgehog abundance and distribution. Large expanses of urban / suburban (498ha) and rural habitat (approx.
250ha) are found throughout Elmdon and the surrounding area, which provide ideal conditions to monitor hedgehog populations over time. Additionally, we have been in consultation with Reading
University about the design of the survey methodology for the HIA and about working together in the area on specific research projects. (See Appendix for survey methodology).
4.
Working with local partners - The area should include a network of existing partners, where relationships can continue to be built upon with local landowners (including schools, businesses community groups). The Trust has existing working relationships with influential organisations based in the Elmdon area, including our corporate member Jaguar Land Rover who employs 6,000 local people at their main vehicle production plant and Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council who we have worked with for many years on a wide range of local conservation projects. Notably, we also have excellent links with Happyhogs Hedgehog Rescue, based in the centre of Elmdon.
5.
Establishing or increasing hedgehog populations - HIA’s should include areas with existing hedgehog populations and those without, in order to outline several separate conservation management approaches that will be applicable to other focus areas in the future. We know that
Elmdon and the wider Solihull area have existing fragmented hedgehog populations. (See Appendix for Solihull hedgehog distribution map).
3 Partners
The following local and national organisations and groups have formally stated their written support for the Elmdon HIA initiative:
 Reading University
 Jaguar Land Rover

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council

Happyhogs Hedgehog Rescue
 Birmingham International Airport
 Friends of Elmdon Park

Wild Thing PR & Events

Solihull Conservation Volunteers

4 Budget
See attached budget.
5 Conceptual Framework
Below is a conceptual framework of how we expect the HIA to influence positive change for the species:
Hedgehog Improvement Areas Attributes Influences
Habitat
Improvements
Survey Work /
Scientific Study
Community
Engagement
- Hedgehog Reserves
- Garden linkages
- Wildlife friendly gardening
- Baseline surveys
- On-going monitoring
- Findings and reports
- Raising awareness
- Community activism
- Fundraising
- Existing and future partnerships
- Land ownership and permissions
- Resource constraints
- Licencing and permissions
- Volunteer uptake
- Timescales including project length
- Media influence / exposure
- Major groups, schools etc.
- Level of participation

6 Objectives and outcomes
HABITAT IMPROVEMENTS
Provide advice and work with land owners to improve habitats for hedgehogs.
Increase edge habitat in Elmdon Manor, Elmdon Park and other public green spaces.
Perform hedgerow restoration and create buffer strips where possible in rural area.
To encourage hedgehog friendly farming.
Liaise with local planning authority and regional developers to ensure that new developments consider hedgehogs
Improved habitat for hedgehogs.
Improved habitat for hedgehogs.
Improved habitat for hedgehogs.
Improved habitat for hedgehogs.
Improved habitat for hedgehogs.
Promote and investigate the feasibility of wildlife land bridges in Solihull.
Promote and investigate the feasibility of “hedgehog crossing” road signs in Solihull.
SURVEY WORK
Conduct habitat surveys: Phase 1 and hedgerow surveys for both rural / urban area.
Reduction in road mortalities.
Reduction in road mortalities.
Baseline habitat data.
Collate badger sett records from local groups and conduct badger sett surveys where needed. Badger density data and evaluation of habitat potential for hedgehogs.
Conduct baseline and repeat hedgehog presence / absence surveys - Footprint tunnels in Hedgehog distribution data and excellent community engagement. residential gardens.
Conduct hedgehog repeat abundance surveys - Torching 1km edge features.
Use camera traps in residential gardens.
To conduct a repeat social survey to measure awareness, habits and perceptions.
Create multiple learning papers after first year.
Facilitate hedgehog studies in partnership with BHPS, PTES and Reading University where possible.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Raise awareness through community engagement events, walks and talks.
Work with local schools and groups.
Liaise with local businesses and encourage them to volunteer to help hedgehogs.
Create a hedgehog volunteer group for surveys and habitat improvements.
Liaise with local, regional and national media to promote the initiative.
Host and promote a “Hedgehog Ecology and Management for Practitioners” training workshop.
Work closely with local hedgehog carers to promote hedgehog conservation and welfare.
Hedgehog population data and excellent community engagement.
Hedgehog population data and excellent community engagement.
Understanding changes in awareness, habits and perceptions.
Creation of learning papers to inform future conservation best-practice.
New research addressing the unknown questions concerning hedgehogs and their ecology.
Greater awareness of issues effecting hedgehogs and their conservation from local residents.
Greater awareness of issues effecting hedgehogs and their conservation from local residents.
Greater community participation.
Greater community participation
Regular appearances in local media with planned appearances in national media.
Greater awareness of issues effecting hedgehogs and their conservation from influential land managers and consultants.
Greater awareness of issues effecting hedgehogs and their conservation from local residents.

7 APPENDIX
7.1 Survey methodology
Study Area
Population
Elmdon Ward = 498ha
Rural area = approx. 250ha
12,067 people
Hedgehog Survey period
May – September
Population density 24.2 per ha

Habitat surveys: Phase 1 and hedgerow surveys, linked to barrier / connectivity assessments.

Badger sett surveys: Desktop and surveys where required.
 Community surveys: Social surveys capturing trends in attitudes, habits and perceptions.
 Hedgehog surveys: Distribution and population surveys, see below:
Survey specification
Survey objectives
Presence/absence surveys
- To measure hedgehog distribution and monitor changes over time.
Abundance surveys
- To measure hedgehog population density and monitor changes over time.
- To further understand the dynamic of the population through mark and recapture.
Field searching (using torches) Survey method Mammal footprint tunnels / Community sightings / camera traps
License required?
No
Administered by Hedgehog Officer and volunteers
Survey design Tunnels placed in residential gardens in urban area and edge habitats in rural area. (Using national hedgehog survey protocols for rural area and a higher density of tunnels for urban area). / adhoc and camera trap sightings submitted to us from the community.
Citizen science surveys Sampling strategy
Timing May – September / any time
Data collection Submission of footprint sheets
Yes
Hedgehog Officer and volunteers
50 traps distributed evenly across the urban-rural gradient with an initial intense survey period of 1 month followed by subsequent recapture monitoring (see attached detailed survey methodology)
Capture-mark-recapture methods including citizen science surveys
May – September
Specific recording sheets
This hedgehog survey methodology has been produced in consultation with Reading University’s School of
Biological Sciences. Opportunities for facilitation of research projects in the HIA also exist with Reading
University.

Hedgehog Improvement Area: Elmdon, Solihull
7.2 Map of the Solihull HIA - Elmdon Ward
7.3 Map of the Solihull HIA - Aerial photograph

Hedgehog Improvement Area: Elmdon, Solihull
7.4 Current distribution of hedgehogs in Solihull (taken from the Help for Hedgehogs community sightings survey and records from local hedgehog rescues).