Hedgerows

England’s hedgerows offer a valuable habitat for wildlife, amongst many other benefits, and we’re working to protect them and create more.

Hedgerows are the vital stitching in the patchwork of our countryside. Not only are they beautiful, with shifting seasonal colours, but they also benefit wildlife and the wider environment. They store carbon and help slow climate change.

We think they need protecting, and support the Climate Change Committee’s call for a 40% increase in the extent of hedgerows by 2050 to help address the climate emergency. https://www.cpreherefordshire.org.uk/news/cpre-report-shows-hedgerows-are-fantastic-for-local-economies/  

For more information and resources about hedgerows click here.

Hedgerow Heroes

Our mission to help restore the hedgerow network in Warwickshire

Hedgerow Heroes is a wider CPRE project launched in 2021 to support the national campaign to increase the hedgerow network by 40% by 2050. To date, Hedgerow Heroes has seen 75.6km (47 miles) of hedgerow in England rejuvenated and created. This project also aims to inspire individuals and give a greater understanding of the importance of hedges to our environment and wildlife. We are thrilled to be a part of the project this season and are excited to partner with local communities, schools, landowners, and farmers, to raise awareness about the importance of hedgerows, manage existing ones, and plant nearly 1 km of hedgerow and help maintain and restore 100 metres by “cut and laying” an existing hedge by April 2025.

The importance of hedgerows:

Did you know, since 1945 England has lost over half of its hedgerows which are vital for nature, bursting with life and they support one in ten of the UK’s vulnerable species, including the hazel dormouse and the beloved hedgehog, whose decline is dosely linked to hedgerow loss. The lines of hedges crisscrossing our countryside act as wildlife corridors, linking habitats together and providing safe movement for many scurrying, flying and scuttling animals such as endangered dormice and rare brown hairstreak butterflies. You can find out more about the history of hedges here.

Funding for Hedgerow Heroes:

We’ve secured some initial funding for our Hedgerow Heroes campaign, but we want to increase our impact and try to expand our work. If you are interested in donating, or know a business that might want to support our cause, then please contact the office.

Become a Hedgerow Hero:

We are looking for volunteers for planting and ‘cut and laying’ hedgerows between November and March. If this is of interest to you, we’d love to hear from you; please email office@cprewarwickshire.org.uk

During the winter season we will be running a series of hedge laying courses. More information will follow in due course but if you would like to be involved in this project, please email office@cprewarwickshire.org.uk

So Far:

The Hedgerow Hero project is well underway across the county, with more than 710m of Hedgerow having been laid so far at Tysoe, Grandborough Fields Farm, Northend Community Playground, Bishops Tachbrook and Myton School. Many thanks to all the volunteers who came down and made this possible.

At Tysoe our volunteers were met with were met with three inches of snow on arrival. But this did little to deter our team who showed up in great numbers, with some coming from as far as Guildford and Newport! After a lesson in hedge laying from expert Mike, we got to work and over the course of two days managed to cut and lay 100 metres of hedge.

During our week at Myton School, students from Year 7 and the Sixth form joined us to plant 170m of new hedge. Designed by a Year 7 pupil, the hedge represents the earth and it’s different cultures. Matt Western MP joined us on the Friday, in order to plant the final two whips and to meet with students to discuss their involvement in the project.

Still to come: 

The Hedgerow Hero Project continues into 2025. With the help of volunteers, we will be laying hedges at Luddington, and Cross o’ th’ hill farm. Express an interest in volunteering for the project by sending an email to office@cprewarwickshire.org.uk