Consider what happens to your pumpkins

Carving pumpkins is a beloved Halloween activity but can have the potential to do real harm to some of our wild friends. If pumpkins are left on the ground, hungry Hedgehogs can become very unwell after eating them. A better option is to display your pumpkins indoors, or somewhere out of reach of Hedgehogs. But there’s more to it – Halloween pumpkins are food, and millions go to waste each year. Rather than displaying carved pumpkins, why not cook them for dinner? Or, display them safely (then compost them after Halloween) and cook the seeds you've removed when carving. Pumpkins should end up in food waste or being home composted, never landfill.  

Check for Hedgehogs before lighting bonfires

Wood piles are ideal places for Hedgehogs to shelter, which puts them in a very dangerous position when bonfires are lit. There are a few ways you can avoid harming these prickly creatures when having a bonfire. For example, building it on the day you will light it, checking the pile thoroughly before lighting and placing bonfires on open ground. Learn more about how to avoid harming Hedgehogs with bonfires.

Rethink the fake spider web decorations.

Fake spider webs can be a fatal hazard for wildlife, including birds and insects, which can get trapped in the strings. Choose safer decorations for outdoor areas (ideas below) or if you already own these, instead display them indoors.

DIY decorations

To reduce the footprint of seasonal decor, use things you already own or natural materials you collect. Autumnal decorations can be as straight-forward as stringing together dry fallen leaves. Simple, beautiful, and compostable! Decorations can also be readily found in second hand shops, giving more life to items that already exist.  

With a few considerations we can celebrate Halloween and Bonfire Night without causing unnecessary harm to our precious wildlife. Happy spooky season!