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.

Warwickshire 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 this project and to be able to partner with local communities, schools, landowners, and farmers, to raise awareness about the importance of hedgerows, manage existing ones, and plant new hedgerows where so many have been ripped out.

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.

Become a Hedgerow Hero:

CPRE Warwickshire are pleased to announce that we are taking part in phase 5 of Hedgerow Heroes during the winter of 2025/26. This phase of the project will involve 2500 metres of new hedgerow planting, and 500 metres of restoration.

If you know of a suitable location for a new hedge, or a hedge in need of laying then please email office@cprewarwickshire.org.uk

We are looking for volunteers to join us, and get involved with hedge planting this winter. We will be running many different planting days across the county, so there will be a variety of different opportunities throughout the season. If this is of interest to you, we’d love to hear from you!

During the winter season we will also be running a series of hedge laying beginner training days. More information will follow in due course.

If you would like to be volunteer for a planting day or a hedgelaying training day, please email office@cprewarwickshire.org.uk

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.