It all started with hedgehogs on the roads.
Hedgehog fatalities were spotted by locals on the Fulwood roads, particularly Sherwood Way and Eastway (B6241). These poor hogs were found repeatedly on the same stretches of these roads between 2018 and 2021. It seemed as though the animals had set routes between gardens and woodland, but roads cut across these routes and some hedgehogs cannot survive the roads. UK hedgehogs have experienced catastrophic decline in recent years, from factors including loss of habitat and road fatalities. We didn’t want to see this happen to any more hedgehogs in our Fulwood district. A wildlife corridor is needed.
In the same time frame, 2018 – 2021, many of the green fields skirting the Fulwood boundaries have been developed into Durton, Lightfoot Lane, and Cottam housing estates. Employment sites have also been added, plus the supermarkets of Fulwood Aldi and a Lidl near Lightfoot Lane. All these fields were connectors between Fulwood green spaces and the wider countryside.
Finally, in 2021, some residents cut down their garden trees, paved their front gardens, or removed hedging in favour of fencing.
2021 storms brought down some fencing. Instead of building fences and walls and shutting everything out, it was like nature was bringing down some of those boundaries. Nature needed a change from us local residents, not those distant folk at that southern end, called Westminster.
In light of 2021 reports of wildlife decline and councils declaring state of climate emergencies, certain Fulwood locals believed it was essential to stop waiting for government to help our local hedgehogs, trees, and bees. In December 2021 the Fulwood Community Nature Reserve was started by locals. They ask their fellow Fulwood neighbours to help wildlife ourselves. This involves adding wildlife-friendly features to their gardens/spaces. It is not a new idea – the concept is modelled on the Felixstowe Community Nature Reserve, begun by Dr Adrian Cooper in 2015, which is now thriving and inspiring these community reserves in other places, not just here.
No more hedgehog road casualties.
No more loss of trees, bees, or birdsong.
Not on our Fulwood patch.
Fulwood Community Nature Reserve 