This document sets out Natural England’s view on favourable conservation status for hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus in England.
Favourable conservation status is the minimum threshold at which we can be confident that the species is thriving in England and is expected to continue to thrive sustainably in the future.
This definition has been produced following the Natural England approach to defining favourable conservation status described in the guidance document Defining Favourable Conservation Status in England.
Section 1 of this document describes the species covered by this definition and its ecosystem context.
Section 2 specifies the units used to describe the three favourable conservation status parameters. These are:
• Natural range and distribution (where the species occurs).
• Population (how many there are of the species).
• The extent and quality of habitat supporting the species population.
Section 3 outlines the evidence considered when developing the definition. This definition is based on the best available evidence on the ecology of hedgehog. The evidence covers the current situation, historical changes and possible future changes.
Section 4 sets out the conclusions on the favourable values, that is the value for each of the three parameters when the species has achieved favourable conservation status.
This document does not include any action planning, or describe actions, to achieve or maintain favourable conservation status. These will be presented separately, for example within strategy documents.
The guidance document EIN062 Defining Favourable Conservation Status in England describes the Natural England approach to defining favourable conservation status.