Celebrating National Hedgerow Week 2025

Between the late 1700s and early 1800s, the Enclosure Acts led to large scale planting of hedgerows, with the aim of enclosing open fields and common land to restrict access of local people to this land. After the Second World War, around 50% of English hedgerows were lost under increased pressure to use as much land as possible for food production.

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Why hedgerows matter today

Hedgerows provide multiple climate and biodiversity benefits, as well as the potential to help create jobs and the provision other ecosystem services. The UK’s largest habitat, our hedgerows need to be supported and encouraged to thrive. You can get involved through taking part in National Hedgerow Week, running from 5-11^th May. 

In 2023, the Government set out, in the Environmental Improvement Plan, a target to support the creation or restoration of 45,000 miles of hedgerow a year by 2050^.  Alongside this plan, schemes like the Nature Recovery Network aim to improve the connectivity of high-quality habitats – a key role of hedges, and Local Nature Recovery Strategies highlight hedgerows as an important habitat.  England’s existing hedgerows store up to 9 million tonnes of carbon, and the success of 130 Biodiversity Action Plan species depends on hedges. It’s clear that the humble hedgerow can’t be taken for granted in the face of global climate and biodiversity loss crises.  

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A hedge is a home

Connecting different habitats in a thriving network, hedgerows are safe havens for all sorts of wildlife – from bumblebees to hedgehogs, birds and bats. Even newts, frogs and toads can be found underneath a busy hedge. With all these creatures depending on hedges to thrive, it’s unsurprising that hedges are protected under certain conditions.

Between March and September, no cutting of hedges should take place – this is when birds are nesting. However, hedges need to be maintained to stay healthy. The traditional practices of coppicing and hedgelaying help to thicken and rejuvenate hedges. These methods might look dramatic: in coppicing, a hedge is cut almost to ground level, and in hedgelaying, each stem is cut almost all the way through, before being folded over. Hedges soon bounce back, growing denser at the base, making them a better hiding place for birds and small mammals.

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Hedgelaying freshly completed at Gateway Woods, our site in Wootton

Our Senior Ranger Nicola giving a hedgelaying demonstration to volunteers

Volunteers help our ranger team with hedgelaying at the Millennium Country Park

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The role of hedgerows in farming and urban areas

On farmland, hedgerows have the potential to increase productivity – providing a home to pollinators, and protecting crops from wind damage. Hedges might also reduce the need for insecticides: some birds, flies and wasps associated with hedgerows eat pest insects. With their deep root networks, hedgerows protect soil structure, holding together valuable soil – an inch of which takes 500 years to form.

It’s not just the rural community that could be rewarded by caring for hedgerows – 10% of English hedgerows provide green features in urban landscapes, potentially improving public wellbeing, whilst giving nature a home.

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Hedgerows in the Forest of Marston Vale

Hedgerows are a key habitat throughout the Forest – the Charity’s ranger team continues to maintain our existing hedges to ensure they thrive and offer the greatest possible biodiversity. Wherever suitable, new hedgerow is created and we’re currently following the South of England style of hedge laying within our Community Woodlands.

Different styles have developed across the country over generations, based on materials available, climate, topographical features of the land and the role that the hedgerow is required to perform.

Through the Trees for Climate programme the Forest of Marston Vale Trust has, since 2020, planted 24.2km of hedgerow in and around the Forest, with species including blackthorn, dogwood, hawthorn, hazel and spindle.

Image: New hedgerows planted and thriving at Flitwick Nature Park, Bedfordshire

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So, the message is simple...

Hedgerows are crucial habitat. Learn more about hedgerows and get involved in National Hedgerow Week and for hands on experience of hedge laying you can volunteer with our ranger team.

If you’re passionate about protecting the species around you, why not sponsor a habitat in the Forest?