Hedgehog Highway
FREE with every fencing order- Create a safe Hedgehog Highway between neighbouring gardens
- Helps reconnect habitats and support Britain’s declining hedgehog population
- Clean, professional finish for a neat 13cm × 13cm wildlife access point
- Simple to install on composite or timber fence panels, with fixings included
- Durable, wildlife-friendly design made to become a permanent part of your garden
Introducing the Dino Hedgehog Highway frame
We know that many homeowners want to help local wildlife but aren’t always sure where to start.
That’s why we’ve developed the Dino Hedgehog Highway frame – a simple way to create safe routes for hedgehogs between gardens.
Designed to fit seamlessly into compatible fencing products, the frame can be seamlessly built-in and allow hedgehogs to move safely between gardens and reconnect the habitats they depend on.
The complimentary frame features:
- A built-in 13cm x 13cm hedgehog access point
- A clean, professional finish
- Simple installation
- Durable construction designed to last
- Wildlife-friendly design built into your garden from day one
Available as a complimentary addition with compatible fencing purchases from Dino Decking over the coming months, the frame makes it easier than ever for homeowners to create wildlife-friendly gardens and help reconnect Britain’s gardens for hedgehogs.
Hedgehog Highway Map
Explore our Hedgehog Highway map to see how gardens across Britain are being connected to support local wildlife. Each marker represents a Hedgehog Highway sent to a garden, helping create safer routes between neighbouring spaces.
As more households take part, these individual access points begin to form a wider network of hedgehog-friendly gardens, reducing habitat fragmentation and giving hedgehogs more freedom to move in search of food, shelter and mates.
Opening the UK’s Hedgehog Highways
They’ve starred in children’s books, appeared on stamps and are even being considered for Britain’s banknotes. But one of the UK’s most iconic wildlife species is quietly disappearing from our gardens.
Hedgehogs are now officially listed as vulnerable to extinction on the UK Red List, with conservation reports highlighting significant population declines over the last two decades. Our latest research suggests many people are already noticing the change, with 41% of UK garden owners saying they have NEVER seen a hedgehog in their garden and 12% haven’t seen one for more than a year.
One of the biggest challenges facing hedgehogs today is surprisingly close to home: our gardens.
Once able to roam freely at night between neighbourhoods in search of food, water and mates, hedgehogs are increasingly finding their routes blocked by fences, walls and enclosed outdoor spaces. Known as habitat fragmentation, this can leave them cut off from the resources they need to survive and force them to make longer, more dangerous journeys.
At Dino Decking, we believe great garden design should work for people and wildlife alike. That’s why we’re on a mission to help open the UK’s Hedgehog Highways – reconnecting Britain’s gardens and making it easier than ever for homeowners to support one of the country’s most iconic species.
To help homeowners take action, we’ve developed a Limited Edition Hedgehog Highway frame which can be attached to most fence panels, allowing hedgehogs to move safely between gardens without compromising on privacy, security or style.
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What Are Hedgehog Highways?
A Hedgehog Highway is a small opening at the base of a fence or wall that allows hedgehogs to move freely between neighbouring gardens.
Usually measuring around 13 cm square, these simple access points help create a network of connected outdoor spaces that hedgehogs can use to travel safely between habitats.
How Do Hedgehog Highways Work?
Hedgehogs naturally move between gardens searching for food, water, shelter and nesting sites, while also travelling to find mates during the breeding season. This regular movement is essential to their survival, which is why connected gardens play such an important role in supporting healthy hedgehog populations.
A Hedgehog Highway creates a safe route between these resources, allowing hedgehogs to move naturally through residential areas without being forced onto roads or becoming trapped.
Why Connected Gardens Matter
Although a single wildlife-friendly garden can be a valuable habitat, connected gardens have an even greater impact.
When multiple neighbouring gardens include Hedgehog Highways, they create wildlife corridors that support:
- Healthier hedgehog populations
- Greater access to food sources
- Improved breeding opportunities
- Increased biodiversity
Despite growing awareness campaigns, our research found that only 29% of people fully understand what a Hedgehog Highway is₂, highlighting the need for greater awareness around one of the easiest ways to help Britain’s hedgehogs.
Why Do Hedgehogs Need Holes In Fences?
Hedgehogs don’t stay in one garden. In fact, they can roam up to 2km every night searching for food, water and companions. To complete these journeys safely, they need access to multiple connected outdoor spaces.
Unfortunately, solid fencing and walls can prevent hedgehogs from reaching the resources they need. Our research found that:
- 15% of homeowners have discovered a hedgehog trapped in their garden
- 61% of gardens contain potential hazards, including steep drops, netting, drains or unfenced ponds
Without safe routes between gardens, hedgehogs may struggle to find food, become isolated from breeding populations or be forced towards busy roads.
Creating a small access point in a fence can help reduce these risks while supporting local wildlife.
New research reveals the hidden barriers facing Hedgehogs
To find out what people really think about hedgehogs and wildlife-friendly gardens, we surveyed homeowners across the UK.
The results show just how much affection there is for Britain’s prickly visitors, alongside a growing appetite for gardens that work for wildlife too.
Hedgehog sightings are becoming increasingly rare
More than four in ten homeowners (41%) told us they have never seen a hedgehog in their garden, and 12% said they haven’t seen one for more than a year.
For many people, the joy of spotting a hedgehog in the garden is becoming something they’ve never experienced at all.
Many homeowners still aren’t sure where to start
While 60% of people have heard of Hedgehog Highways, only 29% say they fully understand what they are. The research also revealed several factors that may be preventing homeowners from creating wildlife access points, with concerns around appearance, installation, security and the potential attraction of pests all cited as barriers to taking action.
Homeowners want wildlife-friendly gardens
Despite these concerns, support for wildlife-friendly design is clear.
- 65% would prefer fencing with built-in wildlife access
- 54% would allow a neighbour to create a Hedgehog Highway
- 50% would be more likely to buy a wildlife-friendly home
- 42% believe new-build homes should include hedgehog access points
- 47% already leave out food or water for hedgehogs
Why choose fencing with a built-in Hedgehog Highway?
Many homeowners love the idea of creating a Hedgehog Highway but aren’t always sure where to start.
While cutting an access point into an existing fence is possible, it’s understandable that some homeowners may have concerns around installation, appearance or achieving a neat finish.
That’s exactly why we’re proud to introduce our limited edition Hedgehog Highway frame, designed to fit most fence panels and make supporting local wildlife as simple as possible.
Available as a complimentary addition with compatible fencing purchases from Dino Decking over the coming months, the frame makes it easier than ever for homeowners to create wildlife-friendly gardens and help reconnect Britain’s gardens for hedgehogs.
Our research found that:
- 65% of homeowners would prefer fencing with wildlife access already built in.
- 20% would only install a Hedgehog Highway if it looked professional.
Our Hedgehog Highway is designed to neatly finish a standard 13cm x 13cm wildlife access hole, giving it a clean, professional appearance while helping raise awareness of the importance of hedgehog-friendly gardens.
Simply cut the recommended opening in your fence and fit the frame over the top for a smart, branded finish that supports one of Britain’s most loved garden visitors.
How to install your Hedgehog highway
Step 1: Measure and cut the opening
Measure and cut a 14.5cm x 14.5cm opening at the bottom of your fence. Make sure the opening sits level with the ground so hedgehogs can move through easily.
Step 2: Position the Hedgehog Highway
Step 3: Drill and secure the frame
Step 4: Check the opening is safe and clear
Step 5: Your Hedgehog Highway is ready!
How to make your garden more Hedgehog friendly
Install a Hedgehog Highway
Creating access between gardens is one of the most effective ways to support hedgehogs.
Leave fresh water out
A shallow dish of clean water can provide a valuable resource, particularly during warm weather.
Reduce pesticide use
Pesticides can reduce the insects and invertebrates that hedgehogs depend on for food.
Create shelter
Log piles, leaf piles and dedicated hedgehog houses can provide safe places to rest and hibernate.
Let parts of your garden grow wild
Allowing some areas to grow naturally creates habitat for insects and other wildlife.
Make ponds safe
Ensure ponds include a gentle slope or escape route to prevent wildlife from becoming trapped.
Check before strimming or mowing
Always inspect long grass, hedges and overgrown areas before using garden machinery.
Frequently asked questions about Hedgehog Highways
Do Hedgehog Highways attract rats?
Can hedgehogs climb fences?
Hedgehogs can occasionally climb rough surfaces, but most garden fences act as significant barriers.
Will a Hedgehog Highway affect garden security?
What is the best wildlife-friendly fencing option?
Should new-build homes include Hedgehog Highways?
Many conservation organisations support their inclusion and our research found that 42% of homeowners agree.
Can I add a Hedgehog Highway to an existing fence?
Yes. You can cut an opening into an existing fence or choose purpose-built fencing with wildlife access already incorporated into the design.
Sources and Methodology
1. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society – Find the Gap
2. The research was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Dino Decking, among a sample of 2,000 UK nationally representative respondents (1,756 garden owners), from 21.04.2026 – 24.04.2026
3. UK Red List