Gwent Wildlife Trust’s response to the State of Britain’s Dormice report 2023

Written by Lowri Watkins, Senior Evidence Officer

It was only four years ago that I wrote about the findings of the State of Britain’s Dormouse Report 2019. At that time, dormice had declined by an estimated 51% since the year 2000. On reading the 2023 report, I was shocked and saddened to learn that the picture has worsened considerably, with the decline now estimated to be 70% since 2000.

The report identifies the main causes of this decline as the loss and degradation of dormouse habitats, intensified by the effects of climate change. Authors of the report, The People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), are calling for the dormouse to be reclassified from Vulnerable to Endangered on the IUCN Red List, a move which we fully support. Applying this higher threat level, would help to bring in greater protections and direct funding where it is needed.

Two torpid dormice in a hand — Lowri Watkins

The hazel dormouse has been declared locally extinct in a staggering 14 English Counties, but here in Gwent, we are fortunate to still have them present. Gwent Wildlife Trust are aware of the important role we must play in protecting this species and the habitats they dwell in, but this remains a challenge.

Some of our key actions to help dormice, to date, have included:

Monitoring populations in nest boxes across several sites, through the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme (PTES)
Training new staff and volunteers to gain their dormouse handling licence
Trialling new survey techniques – footprint tubes
Managing our woodlands to protect and encourage habitats which will benefit dormice e.g. through coppicing and ride creation
Managing hedgerows to provide links between woodlands
Surveying for dormice ahead of any management that has the potential to disturb dormice
Habitat creation, for example, through tree planting
Answering queries and providing advice to the public
Responding to new developments which could adversely impact dormice

Dormouse Monitoring tunnel on hazel branch — Kath Beasley

This year we were fortunate to be included in the trial of a new method for the survey of dormice and were provided with all the necessary equipment by PTES. Our Community Ecologist, Kath Beasley, took on this project, installing and checking 50 footprint tubes at our Croes Robert Wood Nature Reserve, with the help of a volunteer. We were surprised and thrilled to detect more activity in the tubes than across our nest boxes and it increased our understanding of which areas of the site were used by dormice.

Dormouse Monitoring footprints from tunnel — Kath Beasley

Kath Beasley commented that “Using the footprint tunnels has been extremely insightful in allowing us to better understand the occurrence of dormouse across our Croes Robert Wood Nature Reserve, particularly in sites where there are no nest boxes established. This new methodology has enabled us to efficiently record dormouse activity over a large area whilst not causing any disturbance to the animals.”

We have plans to do even more for dormice in the coming years, and recognise the renewed urgency in light of the latest report findings. We aim to set up a new nest box monitoring round near Usk next year, and will be undertaking more coppicing works to create the lush understory and scrubby connections dormice require to thrive. We are also evaluating the impact that browsing deer are having on some sites and looking at ways to reduce this so that the woodland habitats can flourish.