Hedgefest2025

A couple weeks ago, Sophie and myself from the catchment team went to HedgeFest2025, hosted at Windmill Farm by the South Downs National Park. It was a beautiful day to be out and about with clear blue skies, thankfully Storm Benjamin decided to miss our part of England!

The event was a great opportunity to learn more about the biodiversity and water quality benefits that come from having hedges on farms such as:

• Reduced pesticide usage as hedges attract birds and insects that help manage crop-eating pests like Aphids.

• Increased groundwater infiltration as hedges provide a barrier to slow down surface run-off.

• Increased nutrients in the soil due to the extensive root systems helping to keep nutrients in the soil rather than being lost to groundwater

• Reduced soil erosion as hedges are a natural barrier for surface wind speeds and the roots help stabilise the soil.

Throughout the day we had demonstrations on planting, laying, coppicing and incremental trimming – where hedges are trimmed slightly higher to encourage healthy and dense growth. It was great to learn about the importance of managing hedgerows correctly to maximise the benefits they provide and enable biodiversity to thrive!

We also had a number of talks where we learnt about hedge planting projects, such as the Hampshire Hedge by CPRE, and the work that is being done to increase hedges across the area. It was encouraging to hear all the funding and training opportunities that are being made available to help make planting hedgerows more accessible for farmers and landowners.

The event was a fantastic, drawing in around 100 attendees. There was a real buzz in the air, and it was great to see enthusiastic engagement as people came together to share insights and learn from one another. Who knew hedges could be so exciting!