Project update from Hedgerow Officer, Ellie Banks

CPRE Hampshires Hedgerow Officer, Ellie, updates us on what she’s been up to recently and what’s coming up.

We are so glad to be back, right at the start of the hedgerow season, Winter 2023, with lots of projects and initiatives now under way.

I am fortunate this year to also be joined by Alex, a 3rd year Environmental Sciences student, studying at the University of Plymouth. Alex is spending 6 months with us to gain real ‘on the job experience’ in project management, conservation and land management. Welcome Alex!

Here’s a bit of what we’ve been up to.

We thoroughly enjoyed talking to many students from across Hampshire recently, at Winchester College’s Eco Conference. All were keen to take action against climate change and protect the environment.

See the photos below:

All our hedge laying trainees for this winter have been recruited and are getting ready to start their first season of hedge laying in November! We are also excited to be heading up to the National Hedge Laying Championships in Leicestershire soon. We will be spreading the word of our hedge laying traineeships and to hopefully connect with more hedge layers across the country.

CPRE Hampshire are very pleased to be handing out these beautiful wooden signs to our fantastic Community Hedge Fund projects funded last winter. Applications are still open for any community, group or school interested in planting or laying hedges in Hampshire. 

Hedging planting is almost underway and plant species have been decided and ordered! We’ve gone for a species rich mix providing flowers, berries and nuts throughout the season. This will support a wide diversity of native wildlife such as selecting species like blackthorn and guelder rose, to extend the season of nectar gathering, and dog rose, to provide berries through the winter. We can’t wait to get outside and start planting this winter – our first volunteer hedge planting action day is 23^rd November with many other dates in the diary.

Call to schools, Scouts and Guides groups in Hampshire – book a hedge planting session with us either on your own land, or at one of our Hampshire Hedge sites by contacting ellie.banks@cprehampshire.org.uk 

  Photo credit: Laura Scottorn