Our Hedge-Laying Courses and Why They Are Important.

The History of Hedgerows

UK hedgerows are an important part of the landscape and a haven for wildlife. After the Agriculture Act of 1947 was passed, up to half of our hedgerows, around 118,000 miles worth, disappeared as politicians encouraged farmers to grow more and more food in an effort to make the UK more food-independent.

This was so detrimental to the environment that in 1997 the Hedgerow Regulations Act came into force to restrict hedge removal, and in 2006 hedgerows were listed as a habitat of principal importance for biodiversity conservation. The following year a countryside survey found that fewer hedges were being removed, but unfortunately less than half of the remaining hedges were in good structural condition.

The Importance of Hedgerows

• For wildlife: Hedgerows offer shelter for mammals, birds, and invertebrates, and their flowers, berries, and nuts provide an important food source. They also act as wildlife corridors, helping species move safely between habitats.
• For livestock: Hedgerows provide shelter from extreme weather, helping lamb survival in cold conditions and improving milk production in cows during hot weather. Good hedges can also reduce disease spread and lower the need for extra feed.
• For crops: Shelter from wind, heat, and cold protects young buds and reduces damage to plants and flowers. Increased biodiversity means more pollinators, less need for pesticides, reduced flooding and soil erosion, and improved soil fertility.

Planting New Hedgerows

Now that the environmental, economic, and ecological benefits of hedgerows are more widely recognised, grants are available to replant hedges where conditions are met. At present, BN11: Planting New Hedges offers £22.97 per metre, and there is growing interest in sustainable hedgerow management.

Protect Earth supports landowners wanting to plant hedgerows by helping with grants or alternative funding, as well as finding volunteers to plant them. You can sponsor our hedgerows at the Impact Store starting from £6 per metre, or set up a regular sponsorship for £5.40 per metre.

Hedge-Laying Makes a Difference

Many hedges across the country are in poor condition. Without good maintenance they quickly lose shape, disease can develop, and gaps appear, allowing livestock to escape. That often means extra fencing costs to block those gaps.

One hedge we worked on had been badly neglected for years. After it had been laid properly and then trimmed after a summer’s growth, it was completely transformed. The improvement was remarkable.

Protect Earth’s Involvement in Hedge-Laying

Protect Earth volunteers often bring a huge range of skills. At a tree planting event in Powys, it emerged that one volunteer, John, was a local hedge-layer and offered to lead some hedge-laying courses for us. We agreed, aware of the importance of well-maintained hedges and keen to share such a useful skill.

We offered two free courses on a hedge next door to our land at Goytre in Powys in March 2025 and were very pleased with the interest from members of the public.

The feedback from participants was strong:

• “The information shared before the course was superb and I really appreciated the detailed location and facilities info.”
• “The whole day went well. Lovely friendly people, amazing location, and John was a brilliant teacher, really supportive and keen to share his knowledge.”
• “Maybe a few more tools would be better. My wife spotted the course on Facebook, I really enjoyed the day. However, I did feel we should have put stakes and binders in the hedge to finish it off. I would recommend this course to others. Thanks very much.”
• “It was all so well organised, so nothing I can think of to make it better.”

We took note of the feedback and bought more tools ready for the 2025 to 2026 season. John teaches the Conservation Style of hedge-laying, which does not involve stakes, but he is happy to show participants how stakes and binders can be used, especially if their hedge is in a windy position.

For the winter of 2025 to 2026 we planned three one-day courses at the same location. Keen to support farmers, we offered free places to anyone involved in farming, and £50 places for everyone else. The courses proved so popular that we added an extra day in February to accommodate demand.

There is always a member of Protect Earth there to provide equipment and act as first aider. Michael, our project manager, attended the December course and wrote the account below.

Hedge-Laying Skills Day at Goytre, December 2025

By Michael Cunningham, Project Manager and Conservationist

We held a hedge-laying training day alongside our Goytre site this December and were lucky enough to enjoy another crisp winter day with sunshine, light winds, and only a brief rain shower as we were packing up.

Our course lead, John, began by explaining the purpose and principles of hedge-laying: creating a dense, rejuvenated barrier that improves biodiversity, stock-proofing, and long-term hedge health. We reflected on images from last year’s laid sections, now thick, bushy, and thriving, an encouraging reminder of how quickly a hedge can respond when managed sympathetically.

This session focused on a simplified slash-and-lay approach, suitable for volunteers and landowners who want to manage hedges effectively without the traditional stakes and binders. While it does not produce the classic appearance of regional laying styles such as Midland or South of England, it is highly accessible, emphasises good pleaching technique, and provides an ideal introduction to working safely with billhooks, hand saws, and loppers.

For those with extensive hedgerows, we discussed when to bring in a contractor and how having a basic understanding can help reduce costs and manage smaller sections independently. We also covered key conservation points that apply across both traditional and modern hedge-laying practice:

• Rejuvenation: laying stimulates new growth at the base, filling gaps and restoring structure.
• Habitat benefits: layered hedges offer shelter for nesting birds, insects, and small mammals, improving connectivity across farmland.
• Climate resilience: thick hedgerows help manage soil erosion, act as windbreaks, and sequester carbon.
• Cultural heritage: hedge-laying preserves historic field boundaries that are centuries old in some places.

During the course, we identified an over-stood ash showing signs of dieback within the hedge line. It obstructed the work and posed a future hazard, so I carefully felled it while participants were at lunch. This allowed the hedge to be laid cleanly and reduced infection risks associated with ash dieback. The removal also opened more light to the hedge base, encouraging strong regrowth next season.

The group quickly settled into the work after lunch, and by then spirits were high and everyone had grasped the fundamentals. As always, safety was front and centre, with emphasis on correct tool use and pacing the work. It was great to see confidence grow throughout the day, and the transformation along the hedge line was clear by the time we finished.

This was a rewarding session, hands-on, practical, and accessible, and we look forward to running more hedge-laying days as we continue improving nature corridors on sites like Goytre. With every metre laid, we are strengthening habitats, restoring heritage skills, and creating living boundaries that will support wildlife for decades to come.

So, What’s Next?

As Michael says, we intend to offer more hedge-laying courses, not just in Powys but in other parts of the UK. We will be looking for suitable hedges to work on, and local hedge-layers to help us run the courses.

Contact us if your hedge needs laying and you would like to host one or more courses, or if you are a hedge-layer able to run some courses for us. Anyone hosting a hedge-laying day will be offered two free places on the course.

Running a charity with a bootstrap budget means creative solutions are needed to increase our impact beyond what the team and volunteers can do directly. We cannot lay every hedge in the country, but we can teach farmers and landowners this fading craft so they can practise it and pass it on. The outcome is more hedgerows managed for wildlife and carbon sequestration, instead of being flailed to death.