Agency issues plea to protect woodland wildlife

As Halloween returns for another year, the Forestry England has renewed its annual plea to stop dumping pumpkins in the countryside.

According to Forestry England, a division of the Forestry Commission, dumping pumpkins in the woods can be harmful to wildlife.

As millions of pumpkins hit supermarket shelves and make their way to gardens, porches, and windowsills across the region, Forestry England is reminding members of the public not to leave spent pumpkins in forests or woodlands. 

This plea comes as a result of a well-meaning trend on social media, encouraging people to leave pumpkins in the wood for wildlife to eat. 

The land manager wishes to remind people that pumpkins are not natural to woodlands and can make certain animals, especially opportunistic eaters like hedgehogs, unwell.

Although not toxic, large amounts of fruit can make hedgehogs bloated and dangerously dehydrated, and falling ill at this time of year could threaten their survival through winter hibernation.

The reminder is especially relevant this year as hedgehogs are currently at risk of becoming endangered due to declining populations.

Decomposing food waste can also attract pests and spread disease. 

Instead, Forestry England recommends getting creative in the kitchen to use up Halloween pumpkins or recycling them at home. 

Forestry England senior ecologist, Sam Pegler, said: “While it’s wonderful that people want to do their bit for nature, leaving rotting pumpkins in the countryside isn’t good for wildlife. Some animal centres may accept a small number of pumpkins for their residents, but these are carefully given to appropriate species and removed before they rot down. This isn’t possible in a forest setting, so it is best avoided completely. 

“My favourite way to use pumpkin is to explore the countless free and tasty recipes online. It isn’t all about soup; pumpkin is brilliant for stews, curries, pies, and even pasta and risotto dishes. If pumpkin really isn’t your thing, it can be disposed of in your food recycling container or composted at home. The high water content of pumpkin makes it a great composting material to add nitrogen and moisture to your compost bin.”