Hedgerow Heroes

Why are we doing this?

Hedgerows aren’t just a way to help make a green space look greener and more vibrant. They’re also a vital tool when it comes to biodiversity, the environment and helping to stop the climate crisis in this country. But how?

They are phenomenal for wildlife. In a 2015 study of a 40-metre hedge, a UK ecologist found over 2000 different species. This is because hedgerows work both as a physical home and a complementary habitat for creatures like dormice, hedgehogs and bats. They’re places that animals can nest in the long term and provide temporary food and shelter to other animals when necessary.

How can manmade habitats be so good for the environment and wildlife? This ecosystem is known as a woodland edge, containing elements of woodland, pastures and flowering shrubs. This mix of ecosystems means that hedgerows can support lots of different species that rely on them. They can also provide a wildlife corridor connecting different natural landscapes while avoiding inhospitable urban land like roads and buildings.

In an increasingly urban world, hedgerows are one of the best ways to ensure that biodiversity and nature are still thriving. The Independent Climate Change Committee target is to plant or restore 120,000 miles of hedgerow in Britain by 2050, which means over 4,000 miles of new and restored hedgerows per year. Projects like these will be key in helping the UK reach this goal.

We’re also focusing on getting as many hedgerows planted in the Green Belt as possible, as part of the London Tree Ring project. We’ve already managed to plant thousands of metres in parks in and around the Green Belt, helping to further our goal of building a ring of trees and plant life around London and further enhancing the value of the Green Belt.

How are we helping?

We work with several different organisations to not only plant new and restore older hedgerows, but to help local groups maintain them in the long term. In conjunction with other organisations like People’s Trust for Endangered Species and The Conservation Volunteers we help train groups so that the local community can come together and keep their local spaces thriving. Our aim is to increase the number of hedgerows in London in a sustainable way that passionate locals can help with.

Some groups who contact us already have experience with hedgerows and looking after parks, but this isn’t at all necessary to start with us. All you need is passion and the free time to care for a local green space. We have plenty of resources to help train local group leaders in long-term hedgerow maintenance. We also have a community of other park friends groups who are always happy to help out with useful tips.

We are also able to help find volunteers for your hedgerow planting through social media or our connections with corporate volunteering. We’ve also worked with a wealth of friends groups across London who know how to manage hedgerows in park settings who can help advise on any issues going forward. Our aim is to not just get hedgerows planted, but to help groups care for them in a sustainable way. 

Interested in applying?

We’ve just begun our applications for the 25-26 planting season. If you belong to a park friends group or help care for any kind of public green space – especially those in the Green Belt – then you can apply now to plant new or restore existing hedgerows.

You can find our application form below. Please email this over to us or feel free to ask us any questions about the project at the email – hedgerows@cprelondon.org.uk. We look forward to hearing from you.

Download : Hedgerow Heroes Application Form 24-25