A good well managed hedge is vitally important, not just to keep livestock in the fields but also as a habitat for many creatures, providing not only a source of food, but also a corridor for movement through the landscape. One of the reasons for the decline in the dormouse population is because, in recent years, many of these routes have been removed or degraded by poor management.
Chris Townshend, one of our website partners, is a traditional hedge layer and now is the ideal time to get him along to advise on the best management for your hedge and to get some work done on it before the bird-nesting season.
To see more about Chris, his work and how to contact him, go to his page on this website: –
The pleachers on the right are hazel – on the left blackthorn. The bank is a metre wide and stone faced. 
Hedges are laid in the winter months when they are dormant. 
Blackthorn is one of our most common hedgerow trees. Sloes are a popular bird food in the autumn. 
