Status and woodland requirements of the dormouse in England (ENRR166)

The dormouse Muscardinus avellanarious is a scarce, protected woodland species whose distribution has declined by more than half over the last century. The UK Biodiversity Action Plan commits the Government to restoring its range, by appropriate countryside management and reintroductions. The primary objective of this study was to determine dormouse status and the types of woodlands they require for survival. Guidelines were needed to help formulate countryside management polices for English Nature Natural Areas, so work was done at a landscape, not individual site, scale. A stratified survey of 470 woodlands was undertaken in three contrasting Natural Areas. Results from an earlier survey in Herefordshire are included in the report for comparison.