Barnes Hedgehog Highway helps Hedgehogs move between gardens
Residents in Barnes are helping hedgehogs navigate the area more easily through a growing network of garden access points known locally as the hedgehog highway. Small openings have been created in fences and walls across the south-west London neighbourhood, allowing hedgehogs to move between neighbouring gardens in search of food, shelter and nesting spaces. The initiative has become an important local effort to support a species that is now considered vulnerable to extinction in Britain.
Among those involved is resident Alice Mallorie, who has spent years adapting her garden to make it more welcoming for wildlife. Her garden includes feeding stations for hedgehogs, while access routes have been created through boundaries, including a passage drilled through a thick Victorian wall.
“I guess in a very low-key way, being able to see any wildlife in your garden is good for the soul,” she told BBC London, adding: “You know, they’re going down in numbers, so there’s something about them which is vulnerable and charming.”
According to the Barnes Community Association, the hedgehog highway began after resident Michel Birkenwald discovered a hedgehog living in his garden and launched a campaign encouraging neighbours to make their outdoor spaces more accessible.
Barnes has since become recognised as an important location for hedgehogs in the capital. Researchers from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) have been using camera traps across 21 London boroughs to monitor urban populations and understand where the animals continue to thrive.
The work comes as hedgehog numbers remain under pressure nationally. A 2022 report found that up to three quarters of Britain’s rural hedgehogs have disappeared since the turn of the century.
Have wildlife-friendly projects appeared in your neighbourhood? Local initiatives can play an important role in supporting species that face increasing challenges. Read more environment and wildlife coverage from across London on EyeOnLondon.
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