What HDG do and how to get involved

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Dormouse Group is committed to managing and monitoring dormice in Hampshire, an area that has been previously under-monitored despite its good dormouse habitat. We are finding out more about the distribution of dormice across the county by dormouse monitoring as part of the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme and the County Footprint Tunnel Survey. We promote dormouse friendly site and landscape management and support landowners with habitat management. We seek opportunities for education and training and promote the highest environmental and ethical standards. Here’s more of what we do:

Hampshire County Dormouse Survey

Volunteer to help with our County Dormouse Survey to help us understand the distribution of dormice across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Dormouse Box Checks

Dormouse monitoring is an essential part of our dormouse conservation work. We regularly search for evidence of dormice-eaten nuts and take part in the annual great nut hunt. We monitor dormouse populations throughout the county through various dormouse box checks.

National Dormouse Monitoring Programme

The National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (NDMP) runs throughout the United Kingdom and is supported several hundred dormouse monitors who conduct box checks for dormouse throughout the year. We work with other nature conservation groups to monitor several NDMP sites in Hampshire. You can find useful videos on the PTES website which demonstrate how to carry out dormouse surveys and box/tube checks. Such checks must be done under licence or under supervision of a licence holder.

PTES Website

Habitat Management and Landowner Liaison

Appropriate habitat management is an essential part of dormouse conservation. Dormice prefer managed woodlands and native hedgerows and we work with landowners to create, improve and manage optimum habitat for dormice. We do this through a number of partner organisations and groups including:

FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group)
National Trust
HIWWT (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust)
PTES (Peoples Trust for Endangered Species)
Test valley dormouse project

Training

We provide support with training to be a dormouse monitor, learning to spot the signs of dormice and how to help dormouse in your area. Learn more about dormice, their ecology, conservation and monitoring with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Dormouse Group. You can check out our facebook page for details of training events or contact us at
info@hampshiredormousegroup.co.uk .

Follow our Facebook page for more information.

Have you seen a dormouse?

Submit your records of dormice found in Hampshire. These records are essential to understand our dormouse populations and support their conservation.