Wild Oxfordshire have teamed up with CPRE Oxfordshire to deliver Hedgerow Heroes projects across the county. Hedgerow Heroes was a three-year national campaign funded by CPRE (Campaign to Protect of Rural England) which aimed to expand the hedgerow network across the country, rejuvenate unhealthy hedgerows, and empower communities to take action for nature on their patch. Due to the success of the campaign, Hedgerow Heroes has continued…
Hedgerows are iconic features in the British landscape, decorating the patchwork of small fields in the countryside. Historically, the purpose of these hedgerows was for stock proof fencing yet today we recognise a plethora of benefits that hedgerows provide.
Hedgerows are extremely vital for biodiversity. They have become essential wildlife corridors and provide food, shelter, and nesting locations for a wide variety of animals. Hedgerows benefit the farming community too. They provide shade for livestock grazing in pasture, protect crops from high winds and have the potential to increase pollination and modulate crop pests. Hedgerows are also becoming ever more important in the face of climate change as they suck carbon from the atmosphere, regulate water during flood and drought events and provide a renewable source of fuel.
Over recent decades much of our hedgerows have been improperly managed or removed from the countryside completely. Consequently, there is a need to replace lost hedgerow and improve their condition so we can reap the benefits along with the birds, bugs, and bees!
Since 2021, Wild Oxfordshire has delivered three years of Hedgerow Heroes projects in partnership with CPRE Oxfordshire since.
Each year, we worked closely with a small group of volunteers (project leads) to develop bespoke hedgerow projects in different locations. Project leads have been invaluable! They often had a wealth of local environmental knowledge which helped inform their projects, consulted with landowners to get permission for work to be carried out, organised hedgerow planting and rejuvenation events, rallied others within their communities to help with planting and, in some instances, surveyed their hedgerows to start planning future hedgerow work. Wild Oxfordshire supported and advised along the way, prepared species mixes, ordered whips, guards and canes, delivered hedging material, advertised and attended planting days and facilitated hedge laying workshops all whilst keeping within budget and making sure targets were met.
Collectively we have created 7.5 km of new hedgerow and rejuvenated 1.6 km of hedgerow through coppicing, hedge laying and planting up the gaps. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to Hedgerow Heroes and to CPRE Oxfordshire our partners for the projects!
Back in 2021/22 Wild Oxfordshire was involved in the very first year of HH. Volunteers in Watlington, Eynsham and Kidlington planted 1.7 km of new hedgerow, restored 480m of hedgerow and captivated 550 people in the process (CPRE Phase 1 Hedgerow Heroes report). You can read more about these projects in our blog or simply take a glimpse by watching the short film below, created by local film maker Nicola Schafer.
We completed our Hedgerow Heroes 2023/24 project in April 2024 which saw nearly 400 people from 13 different communities* collectively rejuvenating 500m of hedgerow and planting over 2.5km of new hedgerow. This marked the third year of Hedgerow Heroes which was supposed to be the final year. However, as the project was so successful nationally, the funders decided to continue the project for another year!
*Dorchester-on-Thames, Ewelme, Upper Heyford, Kidlington, Witney, Great Haseley, Wootton by Woodstock, Eynsham, Long Wittenham, Kelmscott Manor, Cumnor C of E Primary School, Harwell, Hill End Outdoor Education Centre
The Green DoTs have been laying, coppicing and gapping up hedges throughout Dorchester to create a network of well managed connected hedgerow. They rejuvenated nearly 500m of hedgerow this year.
Milton-under-Wychwood Parish Council, the Oxford Conservation Volunteers and supporters of biodiversity in the wider community planted a whopping 4000 whips in a churchyard, around ponds and along arable fields.
90m of hedge was planted by members of St Mary’s Church in partnership with Biodiversity Bloxham in the church grounds.
Challows and Childrey Hedgerow Group planted 340m through Storm Darragh!
Eynshams Nature Recovery Network planted 900m of hedge in one day with over 100 volunteers. Read more about their project here: https://www.nature-recovery-network.org/nrn-breaks-their-hedgeplanting-record/
Volunteers from Oddington Environment Group, Hedgerow Heroes and FarmAbility planted 200m of hedge along a public footpath linking up with a healthy mature hedgerow.
With help from volunteers from Abbott Toxicology, FarmAbility, the Oxford Conservation Volunteers and Nuneham Courtenay community, Nuneham Estate managed to get over 1500 whips in the ground after Christmas.
Volunteers from sustainable Harwell started on their plan to plant a hedgerow along The Holloway in Harwell. They achieved 100m of planting!
Kidlington Parish Council Growing Spaces Project planted 26m of new hedge.
200m of hedge was planted at Hill End Outdoor Education Centre by pupils, volunteers and staff to restore their wildlife corridor.
Kelmscott Environmental Stewards planted around 260m of hedge on the grounds at Kelmscott Manor.
One hedge laying workshop ran by Nigel Adams, a countryside management expert with a passion for hedges. Volunteers rejuvenated approximately 60m of hedge along Cuxham Road in Watlington.
Toby Swift from Wychwood Forest Trust led two hedge laying workshops in Witney. Volunteers rejuvenated around 20m of hedge along Jubilee Way.
One aim of Hedgerow Heroes is to increase local knowledge on hedgerows and their management. Wild Oxfordshire partnered with Wychwood Forest Trust (Wychwood Forest Trust | Nature Conservation | West Oxfordshire) to deliver four hedgelaying training workshops. Our aspiration is to equip members of the public with the necessary skills and knowledge so they can properly manage hedgerows within their own community.
We are always keen to hear from anyone who wants to do more for hedgerows in the Oxfordshire landscape. If you and your local community would be interested in participating in Hedgerow Heroes, please contact: Jessica Bouwer. See our guidance for ways you can help hedgerow habitat in your neighbourhood. We have submitted an application in February 2025. We will know whether we have been successful in May 2025.
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