We’ve just finished this year’s volunteer hedge planting sessions. A lot of the wildlife/eco groups, round our way, have accessed funds to plant more hedging, and that is a good thing, because we have lost in excess of ‘118,000 miles of hedgerows since 1950’, (stat. quoted by the Woodland Trust). Our local CPRE, (Countryside Charity), group had a target for new hedgerow planting, for this season, of 7km. We pitched in for sessions at 3 sites local to us.
Thankfully farmers are no longer encouraged to undertake the wholesale grubbing out of hedges as occurred from the end of WWII well into the 1970s. The drive for increased productivity resulted in the creation of huge arable fields suitable for the colossal machinery that worked them. Today, it is more likely that they way the hedges are maintained leads to their demise. Year on year short back and sides flailing can kill a hedge. The lovely OH makes a point of informing the flail operator, that our roadside hedge can be lightly trimmed on the sides, but cannot be topped. Our roadside hedge will be laid at the end of this year, or the beginning of next.
It’s not hard to plant a native hedge and, relatively, inexpensive. There are plenty of resources online e.g. Hedgelink ; the relevant PTES section; the relevant CPRE bit; the Woodland Trust page to name a few.
Reading this week: Where the Wildflowers Grow by Leif Bersweden
stocks&phlox 
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