Test Valley and Wessex Dormouse Projects
In collaboration with:
The Hazel Dormouse has long been a symbol of Britain’s woodlands and hedgerows, yet populations have plummeted by 50% since 2000. Loss of traditional woodland management, changes in farming, hedgerow removal and the added pressures of climate change have all contributed to this decline. In response, FWAG South East and partners launched the Test Valley Dormouse Project in 2016 – a collaborative initiative with Test Valley Borough Council, the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, the Hampshire Dormouse Group and the Woodland Trust – to help reverse this trend.
The project set out to improve and reconnect habitats in the northern Test Valley so that dormice can thrive and disperse more widely. Surveys have been at the heart of the work: footprint tunnels and nest boxes are used to establish the locations of existing populations and identify new ones, while habitat surveys pinpoint opportunities for restoration and new planting. Volunteers and project staff check tunnels and boxes regularly through the active season, building an understanding of where dormice are present and how they are using the landscape. These efforts have revealed valuable insights – including that dormice are increasingly relying on the hedgerow network to move across the landscape, rather than on woodlands where dense understorey has been lost. Public engagement has also been key, with events, training and student involvement raising awareness of dormice and how land management can support them.
Building on the success of this initial work, the Wessex Dormouse Project was developed to expand the area of focus across the wider North Wessex Downs Protected Landscape. The aim is to work with farmer clusters and land managers to map dormouse distribution, identify priority habitats and improve hedgerow and woodland management at a landscape scale. Recent cluster group events have shown strong enthusiasm among farmers, many of whom are now keen to monitor their own hedgerows and learn more about dormouse ecology. Training in the use of footprint tunnels – a simple, licence-free method – allows land managers themselves to take part in surveys, further embedding the project within the farming community.
By promoting better hedgerow management, planting new connections and encouraging a joined-up approach across neighbouring farms, the project is creating vital corridors for dormice and other farmland wildlife. It also positions the dormouse as a ‘flagship species’ and raising awareness of how small changes in land management can deliver wide-ranging benefits for biodiversity. Together, the Test Valley and Wessex Dormouse projects are laying the foundations for landscape-scale recovery, ensuring that Dormice have a future in the heart of South East England.
