And finally… hedgehog highways
Springfield Properties has unveiled the winning hedgehog highway design for its Strathkinness development to mark National Hedgehog Day.
The homebuilder teamed up with pupils at Strathkinness Primary School last year tasking the P7s to design a frame for the ecological corridors.
Through small openings in the fences, the ‘highway’ will connect each garden development just off High Road to allow hedgehogs to safely roam. Working with Fife Council, Springfield agreed to install the openings to enable hedgehogs to roam in gardens which will reduce how far they need to travel to forage for food and reducing road crossings for their safety.
With small hedgehog sketches, mushrooms and a ‘hedgehog highway’ sign, Greta’s woodland-themed design was chosen to mark the hedgehog highway in the garden of the 5 bedroom detached Dunrobin show home.
Springfield regional sales director, Liz Cleghorn, said: “All of the designs were imaginative and really well done - it was a challenge to choose just one design to use for the hedgehog highways! Greta’s sketch stood out to us as we felt the woodland theme was a lovely nod to Strathkinness as a beautiful rural village that is home to ample wildlife.
“We welcomed the suggestion to include hedgehog highways as we pride ourselves on delivering high quality homes in developments where careful consideration has been given to the environment and local biodiversity. Hedgehogs are in decline across Scotland and the hedgehog highway is intended to help safeguard those which also call our development home.”
Greta, who created the winning design said: “I don’t really know what inspired my design – the idea just popped into my head. We’ve been learning about the environment at school, and I really care about the environment so I was excited to design something that will help the hedgehogs.”