Supporting dormice at Pierrepont Farm

We’re beginning important work to support dormice at Pierrepont Farm in Surrey, as part of our ongoing commitment to protecting vulnerable wildlife across our farms. 

Our conservation team recently joined forces with the Surrey Dormouse Group to discuss survey methodology across different habitats on the farm. 

The team identified suitable locations for dormouse footprint tunnels and nest boxes and discovered plenty of promising habitat. 

We've also had a very kind donation of 100 footprint tunnels, which we will be using when we start surveying this summer. These tunnels were previously used for a master’s dissertation, and we are extremely grateful for their continued use in supporting conservation efforts. 

This work forms part of our dormice appeal, which raised £6,000 last winter to help us better understand dormouse populations across our farms and improve their habitats.

In the past two decades, dormice numbers have plummeted by 70 per cent, and they are locally extinct in 14 English counties.  

Working with Surrey Dormouse Group

Tunnels are placed 15 to 20 metres apart and checked every two weeks for four consecutive months, during the period of May to November. 

They capture footprints as dormice pass through, offering a non-invasive monitoring method that volunteers can check without needing a licence.  

Ruth Moss, our conservation officer who led the work at Pierrepont Farm recently, said: “We are delighted to be working with the Surrey Dormouse Group on this project.  
 
“An absolute highlight while we were working was seeing two lesser spotted woodpeckers, which are very rare birds, a holly blue butterfly on some ivy as well as lots of brimstone butterflies enjoying the sunshine. While we wouldn’t expect to see dormice at this stage, this work is all about laying the groundwork to determine where to place our footprint tunnels later this summer.” 

Identifying suitable locations for dormouse footprint tunnels 

We will keep you posted when we start the footprint tunnel surveys and, based on these results, if dormice are identified at Pierrepont Farm, we will be able to make improvements to existing habitat to help them flourish.