Hedgehogs are afforded little specific protection in law to ensure their longevity as a species and to protect their vital habitat. Recent years have seen a dramatic decline in their numbers. With an estimated 95% decline in 50 years, we really need our government to commit to this delightful creature. We work with developers and MPs to ensure and that hedgehogs are recognised in planning. Our ‘Hedge Honcho’ Tracey Crouch MP works tirelessly on behalf of our prickly friends. As a politician she is very used to prickly people so it’s no surprise that she has a passion for the humble hog. We have long way to go in this battle. George Eustice secretary of State for the Environment commended our work with national developers and said that “ Now that we have left the EU, we will be reviewing species protections to ensure that they are tailored to the specific needs of species in this country. However, I am unconvinced at this time that further protection of hedgehogs would support the species in addressing the causes of decline.”
The revised National Planning Policy Framework sets out the Government’s policy on planning and states that the planning system should contribute to and enhance the natural and local environment by minimising impacts on, and providing net gains for biodiversity, including by establishing coherent ecological networks and it is good, but it doesn’t specifically mention hedgehogs.
Some protection is afforded against cruelty and intended injury Under Schedule 6 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 it is illegal to kill or capture hedgehogs using certain methods such as snaring or shooting and they are protected in Britain under the Wild Mammals Protection Act (1996), prohibiting cruelty and mistreatment such as any person mutilates, kicks, beats, nails or otherwise impales, stabs, burns, stones, crushes, drowns, drags or asphyxiates any wild mammal with intent to inflict unnecessary suffering he shall be guilty of an offence.
Hedgehogs are ‘considered’ to be a declining species and of conservation importance under Section 41 (S41) of the NERC Act 2006. Section 40(1) of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities (NERC) Act 2006 states that each public authority, “must, in exercising its functions, have regard, so far as is consistent with the proper exercise of those functions, to the purpose of conserving biodiversity.”
This legislation makes it clear that planning authorities should consider impacts to biodiversity when determining planning applications, with particular regard to the Section 41 (S41) lists of 56 habitats and 943 species of principal importance.The UK Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) has been superseded by the Biodiversity 2020 Strategy, which continues to prioritise the S41 lists, however Local BAPs continue to influence biodiversity management and conservation effort, including through the spatial planning system, at the local scale.
In some areas Local Planning Authorities (LPA’s) are asking for gardens to be permeable for hedgehog to allow dispersal for foraging but this is not happening nationwide, and they are not a legal requirement at planning level across the board.
As you can see the protection for hedgehogs is simply not good enough. A wholistic approached with defined laws protecting both the hedgehogs and its habitat is needed before we see our spiky friends disappear forever. We continue to lobby alongside Tracey Crouch MP, Michael Gove MP, and other ministers and MPs to ensure hedgehogs have a much brighter future.
