National Hedgerows week!

This week is National Hedgerows Week – a chance to appreciate one of our most familiar, yet overlooked, features of the countryside. Hedges are far more than simple field boundaries or garden dividers. They are living, working landscapes that play a vital role in supporting wildlife, people and the environment. They are important for…

• Biodiversity – Providing food, shelter and travel corridors for many mammals, insects and birds.

• Climate and environmental resilience – Capture carbon, reduce soil erosion and also help control pests on agricultural land to name a few

• Cultural and historical heritage – Many hedgerows date back hundreds of years, defining local character and landscapes

Despite their importance, hedgerows have declined significantly over the past century, having lost 50% of hedgerows since WW2. National Hedgerows Week highlights the need to protect, restore and manage these habitats so they can continue to benefit wildlife and people in the future.

At Portsmouth Water, many of our sites are bordered by hedges that we manage for biodiversity. As well as providing valuable habitats for wildlife, these hedges help with site security and can even benefit water quality!!

There's is also plenty of information on the hedgelink website to explore when you get a moment - National Hedgerow Week 2024 - Celebrate connectivity this spring

In the meantime enjoy these hedge facts!!

• Hedges are incredible for wildlife, especially invertebrates. Over 1,800 species have been recorded on a single stretch of hedgerow in Devon!

• The Government is targeting the planting and restoration of 45,000 miles of hedgerow by 2050 – this is almost twice around the earth.

• A Guinness World Record holder, the Meikleour Beech Hedge in Scotland is the tallest and longest hedge in the world. Planted in 1745, it reaches 30 metres in height and 530 metres in length.

• The oldest planted hedgerow known in the UK is Judith’s Hedge in Cambridgeshire. At more than 900 years old it is believed to have been planted by William the Conqueror's niece in the 11th century.

• Hedgerows store loads of carbon - not just above ground but below ground in what is called Soil Organic Carbon (SOC). In fields, SOC below hedges is on average 40 % higher than in the adjacent field, with older hedges storing more than younger hedges.

• In urban areas, hedgerows contribute to services such as climate regulation, sustainable urban drainage, reducing airborne particulates and atmospheric pollution, and providing wildlife habitat. They also improve the aesthetic appearance of the built environment.