With Halloween just around the corner, Coed Cadw, the Woodland Trust in Wales, has issued an urgent plea to witches, wizards and spooks everywhere not to endanger wildlife by dumping pumpkins in woodlands.
The UK’s largest woodland conservation charity has spotted a worrying trend in recent years for Halloween pumpkins to be taken to the nearest wood and left, in a well-meaning but misguided attempt, to provide food for birds and woodland creatures.
“A myth seems to have been built via social media that leaving pumpkins in woods helps wildlife. People think they’re doing a good thing by not composting them, and instead leaving them for nature,” explained Kylie Jones Mattock, Estate Manager at Coed Cadw.
“But pumpkin flesh can be dangerous for hedgehogs, attracts colonies of rats and in large quantities also has a detrimental effect on woodland soils, plants and fungi. We can’t leave dumped pumpkins to rot on site, so we end up with an orange mushy mess to deal with.”
The Woodland Trust has tips on its website for how spooky leftovers can be best used – including making a pumpkin bird feeder for the garden, which should be kept high off the ground away from hedgehogs.
In a social media post, North Wales Wildlife Trust echoed the Trust’s concern over the risk to hedgehogs because, like other wildlife, they are opportunistic eaters and they spend autumn and early winter building up their fat reserves for hibernation.
Their post warned “At this time of year, it’s vital that hedgehogs put on as much weight as possible to help them survive the winter. But hedgehogs can’t digest cellulose, which is found in pumpkins, meaning excess pumpkin acts as a laxative, causing serious diarrhoea, dehydration and weight loss. Please do not leave your pumpkins on the ground for wildlife to eat.”
According to Coed Cadw, the pumpkin problem seems to be starting earlier and earlier, with supermarkets flooded with cheap pumpkins, and pumpkin-picking growing in popularity as a family activity in the run-up to Halloween.
Kylie Jones Mattock added, “Pumpkins can be good for wildlife in small quantities in private gardens, hung safely off the ground where only the birds can access them, but not in woodlands, parks or other countryside settings.”
The Woodland Trust’s Love your woods campaign encourages people to enjoy their visit while helping protect woods and nature for the future.
Visitors can play their part by following some simple advice, including staying fire-free, staying on paths, taking dog mess and litter home and protecting wildlife by keeping dogs close.
