Celebrating our Hedgerow Heroes

We’ve planted more than 2.5km of new hedgerow over the autumn and winter. That’s over 15,000 trees from 12 native hedgerow species!

Funding from Phase 3 of national CPRE’s Hedgerow Heroes project enabled us to plant a total of 2,692 metres of hedgerow at six different locations. We’ve also helped improve the health of existing hedgerows through “gapping up”.

Brockton Grange Farm, Blymhill, Staffordshire: The 1950m of new hedgerow planted will reconnect ancient hedgerows and reinstate hedgerow field boundaries, and help water management by connecting pools and wetlands.

Enville Golf Club, Highgate Common, Enville: Here, 200 metres of new hedgerow will enhance land adjacent to Highgate Common Nature Reserve, including a SSSI home to populations of rare invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians and birds found on the rare heathland habitat.

Bednall: We’ve planted and gapped up hedgerow on land that’s received funding from the ‘Farming in Protected Landscapes’ programme in recognition of its proximity to Cannock Chase. The new hedgerow will provide a buffer zone between the National Landscape and the fields, benefiting wildlife and helping nature recovery.

Highgate Common Nature Reserve: The two new hedgerows planted contain both early-flowering and late-fruiting species to attract pollinators. They’ll also provide a windbreak and improved shelter at the edge of the reserve, enable the establishment of a wildflower meadow on an exposed grassland area, improve the protection for the adjoining heathland and rare species from vehicle movements across the site and encourage dog-walkers to remain on paths.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service Memorial Garden: Young volunteers from the Prince’s Trust helped plant a hedgerow to replace an ageing three-bar wooden fence. The hedgerow will provide a personal sheltered space for visitors and a much-needed wind break to those who use the seated area of remembrance.

Derrington Farm: A hedgerow with flowering and fruiting species will provide additional resources for the pollinators, birds, bats and insect populations that are being encouraged onto the site through habitat creation and purpose-build roosting, nesting and breeding boxes. This will in turn aid the development of the farm orchard, enhance biodiversity and increase the network of connecting hedgerows and wooded areas around this small village.

A big thank you to all our project partners – in total we’ve worked with 25 organisations! We’re also pleased to report that 18 young people have participated in the project as part of gaining accredited qualifications, including one Harper Adams University BSc student, one Rodbaston college student and 16 participants from the Prince’s Trust in Stafford and Cannock.

Our exhibition and ‘build a hedgerow’ event was visited by nearly 1,000 people over the course of the Stafford Green Arts Festival, and we received an award from the Mayor of Stafford for our full-day hedgerow craft workshop at the festival.

#40by50

Hedges connect habitats and provide homes for wildlife. They protect the soil, clean the air and absorb carbon emissions. Sadly, however, around half our hedgerows have been lost since the end of the Second World War. That’s why we’re calling on the government to commit to extending the hedgerow network by 40% by 2050 – sign the petition here.