What's Been Happening?

The Hedgehog Project

One of Brampton 2 Zeros objectives is to regenerate natural and varied habitats to maximise  biodiversity. We want to involve families to improve their garden habitats to encourage hedgehogs to live and wander round eating all the slugs and pests gardens do not want.

We are  promoting positive actions for hedgehogs across Brampton including providing water, cover, hedgehog highways and boxes, to encourage biodiversity and interest in the natural world.

The Launch is on 24th September  at Brampton Farmers' Market, where hedgehog boxes will be on display and more advice on what hedgehogs like.

More information from the Cumbria Wildlife Trust.

If you want to buy a hedgehog box  LINK

Details pf the project:

Aims of Project.

To engage people in making positive changes within the Brampton area which will improve conditions for a species in decline (the hedgehog). Some of these changes such as providing water and cover will also benefit birds and insects in line with B2Z biodiversity work. Contact with the natural world is more likely to make people wish to care for it and take pride in doing so in line with B2Z carbon reduction aims.

Actions: Raise awareness throughout Brampton and the local area of practical steps to help hedgehogs and how to log sightings and new holes made. This is probably best done through the use of the Hedgehog Street Site. This has the advantage over inaturalist, which was also discussed, that people do not have to download another app onto their phone, and also that they are not excluded from a defined Brampton area. Another advantage is that the numbers of hogs and holes are easy to monitor. For example, the map tells us that there are currently 41 hedgehog sightings and 11 holes in the Brampton area. 

Hedgehogs are in decline!

Brampton 2 Zero would like people in Brampton and the surrounding areas to participate in a project to help hedgehogs. Hedgehogs can cover 3km in one night and their routes to food and water are often blocked.  We have a lot of new builds in Brampton with fencing where it would be difficult for hedgehogs to get through.

Here are some ways you can participate in the project and help save hedgehogs!

Put a saucer of water out at ground level for hedgehogs. Keep it clean and topped up.
If your garden is inaccessible to hedgehogs, talk to your neighbours and consider cutting a 13 x 13 cm hole in your fences to allow a route through, known as a ‘Hedgehog Highway'. Please map your holes at LINK  and we will be able to see your new Brampton holes on the map.
Provide some cover. You can use log piles, planting and/or longer grass. Cover will also encourage a hedgehog's natural diet of insects. If you want to you could provide a hedgehog house.
If you spot a hedgehog, please log your hedgehog at LINK. This will allow us to see numbers in Brampton. We know that hedgehogs are in decline, but reliable data is also valuable to all organisations which are trying to help them. 

Here is a link to a leaflet for you full of useful information about hedgehogs and how to help them which has been provided to us by Cumbria Wildlife Trust: LINK

Thank You from the Hedgehogs of Brampton!

Hollies BUG HUNT:

Hollie Bassett, a post graduate student from Lancaster has chosen this project for her dissertation. 

Her aim is to measure the impact of her community engagement on peoples' ideas about wilding gardens to improve wildlife. The photos shows her at the launch with Strictly and champion Cumbrian star Helen Skelton, the group photo of the audience and the presentation for a hedgehog house to local celebrity Heidi. And finally Holly's Bug Hunt.