Hedgerow restoration provides wildlife ‘superhighway’ to boost biodiversity

The hedgerow along Romily Drive Open Space, in Carpenders Park, has been restored through traditional hedge-laying, dead hedging, tree works and scrub control in a project led by Three Rivers District Council.

The hedgerow was overgrown, and had gaps, reducing its effectiveness of acting as a habitat and windbreaker.

Traditional hedge laying creates a dense form and stable structure, with the trees being cut to around 70% of the trunk and then laid over, the tree then continues to live.

The hedge is then secured by binding, which includes using stakes to stabilise the hedge and weaving thin pieces of wood to create a ‘rope-like’ effect along the top to bind the stakes firmly together.

Cllr Jon Tankard, the council’s Lead Member for Climate Change and Sustainability, said: “This now restored hedgerow will provide nesting sites, food sources and shelter for birds, hedgehogs and many other species. Healthy hedges provide wildlife corridors – sort of a superhighway - for a variety of wildlife, allowing them to pass through and forage along the way, feeding on the plant’s berries and flowers through the seasons. This is a superb project and I am proud that we as a council are leading it and making a real difference to our local environment.”

The restoration will also help with storing carbon, combatting soil erosion and therefore improving water retention, all which helps with mitigating the effects of climate change. Now that the restoration is complete, the hedgerow will begin to bounce back, with increased resilience, providing a thicker boundary for years to come.

The project was made possible with the help of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.