Your donation means twice as much this week
From Wednesday 22nd April to Wednesday 29th April your donation makes double the difference to conservation work on Ashdown Forest with Earth Raise.
Every donation you make this week at bit.ly/AshdownBigGive26 will be doubled by The Big Give and The Garfield Weston Foundation. Help us reach our target of £10,000 and make a huge difference to Forest species like the Hazel dormouse.
Bringing back the dormouse
Famously very sleepy (and very cute), the Hazel dormouse is the only native dormouse species in the UK. They are classed as Vulnerable on the UK Red List, with populations declining by over 50% since 2000.
Here at Ashdown Forest, our teams are working to maintaining and create the diverse, connected habitats that dormice need to survive and thrive.
Our teams will introduce a new conservation programme to help the Hazel dormouse, one of the keystone species in the UK. Its presence in the environment signals high biodiversity, as its well-connected hedgerow and woodland habitats also support birds, insects and bats.
The Countryside Team’s work will create a diverse and interconnected understory in the Forest’s woodland areas by managing overgrown scrub and removing invasive plant species. This helps these little creatures to find a place to make their nests and feed. Over time, we will create a sustainable and resilient population of Hazel dormice on Ashdown Forest.
Your donations help us to support new conservation programmes like this throughout the Forest environment.
Please donate today, and help make double the difference for the Hazel dormouse and other key species on Ashdown Forest.
Did You Know?
The name “dormouse” comes from the French word “dormir,” which means “to sleep” – and for good reason! These tiny mammals can spend up to three-quarters of the year asleep in various forms . They hibernate for about 6 months during winter, can enter torpor (a deep sleep-like state) during summer if food is scarce, and obviously spend most of their days sleeping too. In fact, they’re so dedicated to sleeping that they can actually be heard snoring while hibernating!
Top tips for spotting dormice
- Remember, the Hazel dormouse is a protected species under UK law, so keep your distance, tread lightly, and take only photographs if you should spot one in the wild.
- Dormice are nocturnal and hibernate in the winter, so it is rare to see them during the day – but you might see evidence of their presence. They often leave behind distinctively marked hazelnut shells with smooth circular holes and parallel tooth marks along the edge.
- They have golden-brown fur and large black eyes, and are also the only small British mammal with a thick, furry tail.
- Hazel dormice can reach a body length of 10cm (16cm if you include the tail!).
