The Dormouse Muscardinus avellanarius in Epping Forest
Tim Gardiner, Public Rights of Way, Highways & Transportation, Essex County
Council, County Hall, Chelmsford, CM1 1QH, tim.gardiner@essexcc.gov.uk
Andy Vaughan, Epping Forest Countrycare, Epping Forest District Council, Civic
Offices, High Street, Epping, CM16 4BZ, avaughan@eppingforestdc.gov.uk
The first author had not previously taken much of an interest in mammal recording,
being preoccupied with insects such as grasshoppers and glow-worms so it is kind of
strange that he finds himself getting more and more interested in this fascinating and
rare (in Epping Forest District certainly) mammal. His interest stems from its possible
use of green lanes (double hedged tracks with ancient hedgerows) with public rights of
way (PROW) such as bridleways running down them, many of these lanes are quite
overgrown and in need of some management. His concern is that inappropriate clear-
ance of these lanes may wipe out much of their biodiversity interest; for example, some
green lanes have been cleared so extensively that all that remains of the vegetation are
both hedgerows, not ideal management for Dormice (or anything else for that matter!).
Therefore, in Tim's role as a PROW Officer for Essex County Council (ECC are in
charge of all rights of way in Essex) he has been working with Epping Forest Countrycare
(Epping Forest District Council's countryside team; EFCC) and a determined band of
volunteers from the West Essex Ramblers (who help us to maintain PROW in the dis-
trict) to clear some of the more important green lanes with PROW running through them
to keep them open for walkers and horse riders and also to protect and enhance their
biodiversity interest at the same time.
Tim was first alerted to the possible presence of Dormice Muscardinus avellanarius on
a green lane when he wanted to clear part of the Forest Way that runs northwards from
Rye Hill Road past Rivetts Farm in Epping Upland because of the overgrowth of Bram-
ble and Blackthorn scrub on this bridleway. The authors approached the owner of Rivetts
Farm (A. Begram) to let her know of our intentions to clear the route in early 2007, and
by chance she mentioned that her cat had brought in a Dormouse in 2004, although her
memory of the exact date was sketchy. Quite interested in this information and con-
cerned of the effect that our clearance may have on the Dormice, we searched for the
distinctly nibbled Hazel Corylus avellana nuts but to no avail. The bridleway clearance
took place in February and March of this year and afterwards we attached some Dor-
mouse tubes given to us by Mark Iley of the Essex Biodiversity Partnership (EBP) to
old coppiced Hazel trees along the lane. It is hoped that Dormice will use these tubes
for nesting over the summer of 2007 and we will have a confirmed record of the species
from the Epping Forest District. The clearance of the lane was undertaken sensitively
by EFCC and the Ramblers (albeit with a mechanised flail mower!!) and some Bramble
was left fringing both hedgerows as habitat for the Dormice. The lane is incredibly old
10 Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 54, September 2007