Hedgerow Heroes Project Highlights

Over the past 10 months we’ve had the pleasure of running our first ‘Hedgerow Heroes’ project, improving hedgerows across South Gloucestershire and raising awareness of their value to wildlife and landscape character.

CPRE Avon and Bristol have layed 350 metres of hedgerow in North Somerset style. As we go into spring, these hedgerows will spring back to life and there will be new growth forming from where cuts have been made.

South Gloucestershire Streetcare team learning the skill of hedgelaying. We have worked closely with the council over the project to improve their hedgerow management procedures. We are pleased to announce that as a result, they will be putting in to practice less frequent trimming where it is safe to do so, and cutting at a higher point on top to prevent a ‘knuckle’ forming where one point is cut repeatedly. This helps prevent the damage that leads to gappy, unhealthy hedgerows.

‘All About Hedgerows’ walk in Marshfield, led by experts of the Cotswold Wardens.

The process of hedgelaying along a section of Bridleway in Emersons Green.

Stretch of hedgerow layed along the Yate Common cycle path. The twisty stems of hawthorn can look less ‘neat’, but there are just as valuable as a space for wildlife and will regrow like any layed hedgerow.

As well as laying, there has been planting, with 800 metres hedgerow gapped up. Volunteers have filled in gappy areas with native tree saplings to allow the hedgerow to grow into a continuous wildlife corridor. These trees are protected with guards to prevent browsing or accidental strimming.

Planting wildflowers at our end of project celebration event.

In primary schools and pre-schools around Avon and Bristol, we’ve been giving out Hedge- kitbags to encourage outdoor learning and teach children the value of hedgerows for wildlife.

Steve England taught us all about natural foraging of hedgerows during a walk through Warmley Forest Park. Did you know you can use hawthorn berries to make ketchup?

Our team will be continuing to improve hedgerows this winter. Watch this space!