Dormice monitoring at Stoke Park Farm
Dormice thrive only where woodland and hedgerows are rich, connected, and well managed.
Spring has arrived, and our Stoke Park Nature Volunteers are gearing up for another season of dormouse monitoring. Over the coming weeks, you may spot small black tunnels tucked into hedgerows around the site. These are dormouse footprint tunnels, designed to detect the brief, secretive visits of these wonderful and elusive woodland mammals.
Why are we monitoring dormice?
Hazel dormouse populations have declined by around 70% since 2000. The People’s Trust for Endangered Species
highlights long-term declines linked to habitat loss, fragmented woodlands, changes in traditional woodland management, and the growing impacts of climate change. Because dormice reproduce slowly and depend on stable habitats, populations can take many years to recover once they are lost.
Dormice thrive only where woodland and hedgerows are rich in plant diversity, well connected, and carefully managed. They rely on a continuous supply of food through the seasons; including flowers, pollen, insects, berries, nuts, and fruits, as well as dense vegetation for nesting, shelter, and safe movement through the landscape. Their presence usually suggests that a habitat supports a wide range of other wildlife too.
The hazel dormouse is protected under UK and international law because of its declining status. Careful monitoring allows conservationists, ecologists and land managers to gather essential information without harming animals or disturbing nests unnecessarily. The data collected contributes to national conservation programmes and helps guide future woodland management decisions. The results will guide how we protect and enhance habitats across Stoke Park.
Monitoring dormice helps us understand:
- Whether woodlands and hedgerows are in good ecological condition
- How habitat management is affecting wildlife over time
- Whether woodland corridors remain connected enough for species to move safely
- The impacts of climate change on breeding, feeding, and hibernation patterns
- Where conservation action is working, and where habitats may need restoration or better protection
Records gathered by volunteers and ecologists help identify important sites for protection, shape habitat restoration projects, and influence planning decisions that may affect woodland networks and hedgerows. Long-term monitoring is one of the most effective ways to track whether conservation efforts are helping dormice recover.
How does the monitoring work?
As a mouse passes through a tunnel, it steps on a small ink pad and leaves footprints on a white card inside. Volunteers check these cards regularly from late spring to early autumn, looking for the distinctive prints that confirm dormouse activity.
Dormice have been recorded at Stoke Park in previous years, although none were detected during last season’s surveys. Volunteers and the Ecology team are hopeful that this year’s monitoring will help confirm whether dormice are still present in the landscape, and identify the areas they may be using.
If you spot these survey tunnels while out walking, you’ll now know what they are for and the important role they play in local conservation efforts. The information gathered from each survey helps build a clearer picture of how wildlife is responding to changes in habitat and management, supporting ongoing work to protect and restore healthy woodland and hedgerow networks for the future.