We bet you didn’t realise the loss of an iconic British staple – the hedgerow – is having a pretty detrimental effect on our wildlife.

We’re talking about the humble hedgehog.

Yes, those prickly little pals need hedgerows to thrive, and with every spot of green hedgerow that disappears in the UK, we’re seeing their numbers dwindle too.

The UKs biggest dairy co-op, Arla, knows this, but through initiatives like the Arla C.A.R.E. (Co-operative, Animal Welfare, Renewable Energy and Ecosystem) programme, UK farmers are committed to protecting and helping wildlife thrive by restoring natural ecosystems, through activities such as planting and maintaining hedgerows.

It’s an industry-leading standards programme for milk production that covers key areas where farmers can make a real difference to the world around us.

If you’d like to help but aren’t sure how, because you don’t have space for a sprawlingly lush hedgerow in your London studio flat, there are things you can do to become a hedgerow hero.

We’re not just talking about reducing carbon emissions and enacting renewable energy plans, but also implementing initiatives that support nature and biodiversity.

Yeah, not just a pretty bottle of milk, eh?

Sadly, while a hedgerow may be something you take for granted during winding road trips, the decline of this countryside feature has been identified as a critical factor in the loss of various animal species.

Here is a not-so-fun fact for you: over the last 20 years it’s estimated 70% of rural hedgehogs have disappeared, both due to the eradication of these hedgerows they call home and through the lack of upkeep that’s needed to make them habitable.

We lose this vital wildlife barrier, we lose our wildlife.

Arla’s been championing this mission and actively supporting the wildlife that lives in these hedgerows as part of its ongoing commitment to biodiversity and ecosystems.