Meet Lauren: Hedge Laying Trainee with CPRE Hampshire

In May, Lauren graduated from Aberystwyth University with a degree in Ecology. Since then, she’s been working as a peatland surveyor, collecting data from degraded sites to assess their potential for rewetting and conservation. Alongside this, Lauren spent four years working at a horse-trekking centre in the Welsh mountains, a role that even led to an appearance on ITV’s Coast and Country in October!

So why hedge laying?
“I’m aiming for a career in land management,” Lauren explains. “I’m especially interested in how farming and conservation can work together rather than against each other. And, hedges are a great example – they’re good for wildlife, good for farms and they’re part of our cultural landscape.”

Now enrolled in CPRE Hampshire’s hedge laying traineeship, Lauren is excited to get stuck into hands-on work, learn from experts and discover how to contribute to sustainable land use in the future.

This story shows how the traineeship attracts passionate individuals from diverse conservation backgrounds and helps to bridge the gap between farming and nature while preserving a vital countryside skill.