Loaded up for Hedgelaying.

If you go down to the woods today, you'll find M:P coppicing Hazel.

As part of the local developments' habitat mitigation plan, we're working to help safeguard & boost Hazel Dormice numbers in the ancient woodlands around Whiteley with coppicing, hedgelaying & restocking.

The best part of the hedgelaying season is when you see the green return... heartening because you know you have -
A) Done some practical environmental good
B) Not killed the bugger.

After laying miles of hedgerows in a previous career, I always stop&admire the time and effort put into this vital traditional skill. There are half a million miles of hedgerows and more than 30 different styles of hedgelaying across the UK. Hampshire #Hedgelaying #naturalcapital

Whilst half the team were coppicing & rough hedgelaying in Whiteley for Dormice, the rest of the team were rough hedgelaying & clearing encroaching vegetation to improve access on this footpath & bridleway near Chieveley for West Berkshire Council.
Thanks for having us Roaming the Paths..

Hedgelaying gave us the perfect opportunity to look for signs of two stem-mining flies: Phytobia carbonaria (in Hawthorn) and P. cerasiferae (in Blackthorn). P. cerasiferae was thought to be extinct in the UK but turns out to widespread - this is the first vice-county record! 1/2

Finished laying my last hedge of the season today - just staking and binding left to do
#hedgelaying

Still doing binders for Hedgelaying.

Starting hedgelaying this morning with the volunteers 🙂

One of the Tb reactors has been taken this morning, she has to be shot on farm as she was within a month of calving.
It an awful thing to happen to any farm, Tb is merciless.

The three of us spent the rest of the morning in hedgelaying therapy, ligging some ancient stocks💚

Today, I have mostly been laying hedges #hedgelaying

HERITAGE CRAFT - HEDGELAYING 🌳

Today we battled the elements on a farm up on the edge of the Medips hills ,
as a group from our #Woodlandwarriorprogramme learned the art of hedge-laying (Somerset Style) , under the watchful eye of National Champion Mr Colin Clutterbuck.

As

What a thing of beauty! This newly laid hedge at Birch Hall Field #EppingForest was carried out by the highly skilled volunteers from Conservation Hedgelaying. This countryside skill has been practised for centuries, providing both a field barrier & haven for wildlife.

Hedgelaying around one of the Estate’s holiday cottages - Tree House Barn. Will improve the structure of the hedge but also enhance biodiversity. Thanks Karl. #Hedgelaying #Shropshire

Today's #fingerpostfriday post is on footpath 47 over #NewHill , where the #CoulsdonCommon volunteers were finishing off some #hedgelaying . The path was due to be developed in the 1930s as part of the Fairdean Heights Estate, but was saved by the creation of the #greenbelt

A hedgelaying day with volunteers at #gattonpark has resulted in this splendid structure. Using an ancient technique of cutting and weaving branches, the result is a living fence which promotes regrowth. As well as being beautiful, it acts as a vital refuge for wildlife.

'Words From The Hedge' is now 99% funded Unbound. If you pledge and help me reach the goal of 100% do DM me your name, then you stand a chance of winning this beautiful one-off bowl made by my wife.
John Mitchinson
Patrick Galbraith

#hedgelaying
#writing
#conservation

The Countryside Team have been working hard at Rayleigh Mount - restoring the Inner Bailey wall hedge. Hedgelaying can look drastic when first done, but this traditional practice creates a healthy Habitat for many wildlife species and encourages new growth protecting the slopes.

Ballyboughal Hedgerow Society are offering a Hedgelaying course on 23rd and 24th February. See the image below for registration details.

#hedgelaying 😍🥰😁
#southdownsnationalpark 👏👏👏
South Downs National Park
Friends of the South Downs