Leaf blowers drive hedgehogs from their homes

Autumn transforms our landscape into a colourful spectacle.

Yet while we humans enjoy the bright leaves and the fresh air, this season brings great challenges for many wildlife animals.

As the days grow shorter and temperatures drop, hedgehogs, insects and other small creatures seek shelter in piles of leaves and undergrowth – habitats that can be quickly destroyed by our garden maintenance.

Leaf blowers – practical, but dangerous

To spare themselves the laborious work of raking leaves, many garden owners reach for the leaf blower. What appears practical at first glance, however, has serious consequences for the animal world:

• Loss of food: The powerful airstream not only whirls up leaves, but also sweeps away insect larvae and micro-organisms – vital food sources for hedgehogs.
• Habitat destruction: Leaves and deadwood are natural refuges that provide protection from cold, moisture and predators. When they are removed, many animals lose their winter quarters.
• Noise pollution: The noise from the devices sends wildlife into a panic. Young hedgehogs in particular flee their nests – often with fatal consequences.

A well-kept yet nature-friendly garden protects not only the hedgehog, but also a wide variety of other wildlife. This is what IG Wild beim Wild points out. Those who design their garden with care can make an important contribution to preserving local biodiversity – right on their own doorstep.

Tidiness in moderation

Many garden owners want to keep their garden clean and tidy. Yet excessive sterile order is harmful to nature. Closely cropped lawns, sealed pathways, exotic ornamental plants or even rock gardens leave barely any habitat for insects, birds or hedgehogs. And yet a nature-friendly garden is by no means neglected – it is maintained with consideration for nature.

Such a garden is characterized by diversity: native shrubs, wild corners, flowering areas, deadwood, and small water features. Those who integrate these elements create a living ecosystem in which numerous species feel at home.

The hedgehog as an ambassador of biodiversity

The hedgehog is a symbolic animal for the wildlife-friendly garden. As a crepuscular insectivore, it needs retreats, food, and safe passages between properties. Piles of leaves and brushwood, undisturbed corners, or dedicated hedgehog houses offer it protection.

Yet where the hedgehog thrives, many other animals benefit too: toads, lizards, beetles, butterflies, and songbirds find food and shelter here. The hedgehog thus stands as a representative of the entire network of life in the garden.

Small actions with great impact

No major investment is required to make one's own garden more wildlife-friendly. Even simple measures help:

• Native plants instead of exotic ornamentals – they provide food for insects.
• Leave leaves and branches where they fall – they become valuable habitats.
• Avoid pesticides and synthetic fertilizers – nature regulates itself.
• Set up water features – important for birds, insects, and small mammals.
• Keep fences permeable – so that hedgehogs and other animals can roam freely.

These small changes add up to a great gain – for nature, for animals, and for us humans. For a living garden is a place of relaxation, observation, and wonder.

Responsibility on one's own doorstep

IG Wild beim Wild reminds us that every garden owner bears responsibility. The ongoing sealing of surfaces and the loss of near-natural areas threaten numerous animal species. Those who act consciously, however, can create a safe refuge on their own property.

A wildlife-friendly garden is ordered yet alive – a balance between care and freedom, between aesthetics and biodiversity. In this way, one's own garden becomes a small piece of wilderness, where hedgehogs, birds, insects, and humans alike find their place.