Hampshire Hedgerow Survey

Hampshire Hedgerow Survey

by Maggie Cole, Director CPRE Hampshire

This joint project with the Hampshire Wildlife Trust (HWT) and CPRE Hampshire is progressing well. The pilot survey of hedges, which took place between June and October in North Hampshire, East Hampshire (north and south) and South Hampshire (Fareham area – surveying hedges in the urban fringe, which was particularly interesting), as mentioned in our Winter/Spring Newsletter, was completed successfully, thanks to the willing band of volunteer hedgerow surveyors. Many lessons were learnt from this exercise, such as the methodology for completing the forms was too complex for volunteers, as a result about 20% of the survey sheets had to be rejected because of incorrect completion. Therefore a simpler form is being worked out for the next survey. The final report on the Pilot Study is being completed by HWT and will be circulated shortly to all those hedgerow surveyors that participated. A special thanks must be made to both Fareham Borough Council and East Hampshire District Council who very kindly awarded the Project £250 and £500 respectively, which was very much appreciated. We hope we may be lucky again this year.

CPRE and HWT agreed that for the second phase of the project we should remain in the same three areas as last year as there was still much work to be carried out. This time it is hoped to work much closer with Parish Councils, the survey forms would be easier to complete and farmers and landowners would be approached in plenty of time for permission to survey hedges on their land, as this was a particularly time-consuming task last year.

There is no doubt that with the new Single Payment Scheme, which will replace a number of agricultural subsidies under the Common Agricultural Policy and the Farm Agri-Scheme which replaces the Farm Stewardship Scheme, our work will become more valuable to both the farmer and the planner. By the end of this phase, we should be able to provide data to the Hampshire Biodiversity Information Centre, once it has been verified.

In order for the continuing success of this exciting joint project, we need more hedge surveyors. You do not need to have any experience, but just a spirit of adventure (in all weathers!). A Training Day has been organised for Sunday 8th May from 10:00 to 13:00 at Jubilee Hall, Horndean. If you are interested, do complete the hedgerow surveyor's proforma enclosed with this Newsletter or contact Maggie Cole at our Branch Office on 01962 843655.

May 2005