Today, our woodland at Coed y Werin welcomed a group of students from Bedwas High School, led by one of their teachers, Mr Gliniany. Together with ecologists Sandra and Pete Wells and Caerphilly Woodlands Trust (CWT) volunteers, they set out to check the hazel dormouse boxes dotted around the site — and what a treat was in store!
To everyone’s delight, several of the nest boxes were occupied by sleepy little dormice, including a pair (male and female) nestled together — a promising sign that we might be welcoming a family of new arrivals in the weeks ahead.
The data collected today will be sent to the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), as hazel dormice are sadly in serious decline across the UK. Once widespread, their range has shrunk dramatically, now limited mainly to southern England, Wales, and a few scattered areas in the Midlands and Lake District. Even where they remain, their distribution is patchy — which makes our little colony all the more precious.
We’re proud that Coed y Werin offers a safe haven for these shy, nocturnal mammals. Our habitat work and careful woodland management — including the installation of nest boxes — is making a real difference. Today, students helped Sandra and Pete build and install new boxes to replace old or damaged ones, learning firsthand how conservation can be both practical and powerful.
Our wonderful CWT volunteers, Pete (another Pete) and Vernon, supported the visit — and after catching a glimpse of one of these elusive creatures, Vernon said,
“This is a really special experience that’ll be hard to beat.”
Did you know? Dormice can spend up to seven months of the year asleep — not just in winter, but even in cold spells outside it. During these times, they enter a state of torpor to conserve energy.
After their hard work, the students gathered back at base camp for a warm drink and toasted marshmallows by the fire — the perfect end to a memorable day
