Crug Ridge: Gapping Up
TOTAL HABITAT
370 Sqm
TOTAL COST
£473.00
COST PER Sqm
£1.28
About
We were really pleased to be involved in this project, restoring a rather sad looking hedgerow! Without a fence to protect it, sheep can damage hedges by pushing through and creating large holes and turning the hedge into a rather gappy line of shrubs rather than a dense habitat which provides security and shelter.
A new double fence meant that we were able to plant 500 saplings of hawthorn, hazel, dogwood and blackthorn. A fantastic team of volunteers made light work of the 185m stretch!
The team also enjoyed some lovely fruit cake baked by Alice’s mum!
Our work
The total length of the hedge-line was 185m but roughly half of it was already covered by the stumps of the old hedge; these will now be left to regrow alongside the saplings.
The volunteers planted 350 hawthorn, 50 hazel, 50 dogwood and 50 hazel. Spirals and canes were used to protect the saplings from being eaten by small mammals such as rabbits.
Wildlife
Hedges are such a picturesque part of the countryside and the benefits they offer to wildlife are huge.
Many creatures, from bugs and butterflies to hedgehogs and mice use hedgerows as sources of food, shelter and movement. While we were planting we even saw a tiny shrew!
(Although, we must admit it’s not the one in the photograph!)
