Create nature highways and byways
Many of our garden creatures need to move about freely between gardens, and you can help.
Did you know Hedgehogs can walk a mile or more a night looking for food and a mate? In fact, many of our garden creatures need to move about freely between gardens, but find their natural highways blocked by fences.
You can help wildlife by creating safe corridors from your garden to the one next door. This is a great activity to do with your neighbours to connect your gardens.
You can create highways and byways whenever you like, but it is usually easiest in winter when there are fewer leaves on the trees and shrubs.
Instructions
Think like a Hedgehog
Looking at your space, if you were a Hedgehog or a frog, how easy would it be to make your way around the garden and in and out of it? How could you make access easier?
Create Hedgehog-friendly fencing by adding gaps at the base
Add gaps at the base of your wooden fences. Before you start, check that your neighbour is happy too, and make sure any gaps won’t allow pets to escape. It’s also important to not create gaps that will lead wildlife onto busy roads. Create as many gaps as you want, perhaps one every few metres?
If you’re cutting a hole in a wooden fence at ground level, draw the shape you want with a pencil. An arch is the easiest shape to cut. Make it no more about 15cm wide x 13cm high for larger creatures like Hedgehogs, or as little as 8cm wide x 6 cm high for frogs and toads.
Drill a hole inside your shape with a wood drill bit (the kind used for making circular holes). Then poke the jigsaw or saw blade through your hole to then cut out the hole to your line. Give any rough edges a quick sand with some sandpaper.
