Dormice to go by tube

24 May 2000



Dormice to go by tube

THOUSANDS of plastic tubes are being placed in hedgerows in an attempt to find the most important habitats for dormice, report the Independent.

Increasingly threatened, dormice use hedgerows to nest in and as bridges between areas of woodland.

The two-year project by English Nature, the Peoples Trust for Endangered Species and CentreParcs holiday will put 6000 tubes in 75 miles of hedgerows.

More than 130 farmers in Sussex, Kent, Devon. Carmarthenshire and Somerset are involved in the project.

Early findings suggest that the protected mammals prefer large uncut hedges rich in different species such as bramble, hazel, oak and honeysuckle.

Results will be used to advise how best to manage hedges to encourage dormice.

• The Independent 24/05/2000 page 12