While protecting dormouse habitats has become one of the big themes of British woodland conservation, it’s remarkable how little is actually known about these elusive creatures. At a recent dormouse education day led by Tom Fairfield, thirty enthusiastic conservationists fired off a barrage of questions—some of which even he struggled to answer. Why do we care about them? How many are there? Is their population stable or declining? However, “Dormouse Tom” was able to answer many other important questions about the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius). For instance, they are widespread across southern and south-western England and in Wales (distribution map). He showed us dozens of photos of dormouse nests and demonstrated that hazel dormice aren’t restricted to hazel woodlands—they’ve been found in conifer plantations, and occasionally even on stony beaches. Tom believes the habitat protections put in place for the HS2 high-speed rail line don’t go far enough. The ecologists at Balfour Beatty only surveyed hazel woodlands along the planned route, ignoring other potential dormouse habitats. He’s learned a great deal about dormouse habits through two key methods: installing nest boxes and examining teeth marks left on discarded hazelnuts. If our roles were reversed, perhaps dormice would measure the human population by building us cosy hotels and searching for discarded apple cores. In late March and early April, dormice begin to emerge from hibernation, but they are nocturnal and difficult to spot—one of the ways they avoid predation. Tom acknowledges that some dormice are likely to be harmed during forestry operations, but there are steps foresters and builders can take to minimise the impact. His approach starts with surveys—though thorough ones can be costly. These, however, make it easier to implement core elements of a dormouse mitigation plan: avoiding key habitats, establishing buffer zones to protect woodland edges, and creating no-go areas during the breeding season (April to October). A forester from Natural Resources Wales attending the course pointed out a serious tension: if summer months are off-limits for forestry, operations must be pushed into winter, when wetter conditions and heavy machinery risk causing ruts and soil compaction. In parts of south-east England, the tiny hazel dormice are facing competition from the much larger edible dormouse (Glis glis), also known as the European fat dormouse. Introduced by the Romans and raised for food, these creatures were fattened in ceramic pots called gliraria and are still eaten today in countries like Slovenia and Croatia. Dormouse habitat protection seems set to remain a key part of British woodland conservation—partly because dormice are considered a “flagship species”: a charismatic and recognisable animal that represents deciduous woodland and helps rally public support for wider conservation efforts. Note there is a woodlands TV film about the hazel dormouse: [embed]https://youtu.be/COUh5ZluEew?si=1upUveV1FLoQRXV6[/embed]

Dave and I bought our lovely wood in Kent in 2019 because we wanted to surround ourselves in nature and have somewhere our children could visit to decompress from their busy lives.  In due course, we hope our as-yet-unborn grandchildren can come and explore amongst the trees to root them firmly in the natural world. One day, we wish them to become the custodians of this beautiful space. But it was more than that for us. Dismayed by on-going news of threatened wild spaces, we wanted to play our small part to protect, cherish and encourage the biodiversity that calls our wood its home. Understanding how the wood ticks throughout the year was a steep learning curve for us and one that we shall still be climbing for many years to come. We have dug several small ponds, put up bird feeders and a large number of bird boxes, as well as clearing some glades and coppicing the hazel through the winter. Trail cameras have been sprinkled liberally around, all the better to find out what the wildlife is up to when we are away. We have found that there is a thriving population of Hazel Dormice in our wood and there are several badger holes and fox dens. [caption id="attachment_37873" align="aligncenter" width="640"] A Hazel Dormouse that has made a nest in a bird box[/caption] Green Woodpecker nest in the same hole in a cherry tree every year and this spring we have the thrill of a pair of Tawny Owls setting up home in one of our owl boxes. [caption id="attachment_37874" align="aligncenter" width="623"] A Tawny Owl hunting for worms on the woodland floor[/caption] White Admiral and Silver-washed Fritillary butterflies glide majestically through the woodland glades in August and Woodcock and Redwing fly in from distant lands to spend their winters here with us. We feel that the wood has given us so much - the joy of a deeper understanding of the woodland habitat, a space to clear our heads, bountiful aerobic exercise, and, in a small way, the opportunity to give a little bit back to the world.  

It all started in the spring of 2013 when my wife, Julie, and I bought a wood in Somerset’s Blackdown Hills from woodlands.co.uk. We knew we wanted to manage the woodland for wildlife and one of our first aims was to put up some bird boxes which we did as soon as we moved in. Later that same year when looking for signs of bird-occupancy, such as pecking at the entrance, I was surprised to see a hazel dormouse in one of the bird boxes peering out at me, looking totally relaxed. Read more...

These are surprisingly interesting animals which might turn out to live in your woodland. The first surprise is that they are not mice at all, although they are rodents.  There are two sorts of dormice you might come across – the edible dormouse (Glis glis) and the native dormouse, sometimes called the hazel dormouse and technically known as Muscardinus avellanarius. The edible one was only introduced into Britain in 1902 and is only found in a 200 square mile area around the area near to where it was introduced – Tring in Hertfordshire. It was farmed for eating in Roman times and is still eaten as a delicacy in Slovenia, but in England it is protected and therefore, despite its name, is not on any menu. Read more...

Mast is the ‘nut crop’ of the beech tree (Fagus sylvatica), but, in a broader sense, is the production of an enormous number of seeds. And the phenomenon is not restricted to beeches.It can also been seen in oaks, firs, spruces and pines.Such species are said to have ‘mast years’ and in such years it is basically impossible for animals to eat all the seeds ("predator satiation") so many seeds survive to the following spring and germinate. Read more...

Like some other species mentioned in the Woodlands blog, it is thought that the numbers of the hazel (or common) dormouse have declined dramatically over the last 100 years. This has been associated with the loss of woodlands and hedgerows, and changes in their management. The dormouse is to be found in deciduous woods mainly in the southern counties of England, though there are Read more...