Photograph of a hedgerow, courtesy of Andy Chapman

Hedgerows

Devon has more hedgerows than any other county in the UK. It is estimated that there are 53,000 km (33,000 miles) of hedgerow still in the county, and that we have about 20% of all the species-rich hedges left in the UK.

If you're interested in preserving this rich bio-diversity here are some useful links ...

  • Hedgelink (a web-site "All about hedges") is chock full of useful information about hedgerows, including educational material for teachers and children and practical advice on managing hedgerows

  • The Devon Hedge section of the Devon County Council website have a good number of free publications focusing on conservation and management.

  • Devon Hedges (also hosted by Devon County Council) have good selection of multimedia downloads including Devon's Distinctive Hedges - a brilliant interactive map showing the different types of hedgerows throughout Devon (you can email them to get a free A1 poster).

  • The National Hedgelaying Society - "Committed to conserving hedgerows through traditional skills" have some good basic guides on hedgelaying, planting and general management.

If you have others, do let me know and I'll post them here.


Cover image for "A Little Rough Guide Around the Hedges" published by the Campaign to Protect Rural England

A Little Rough Guide Around the Hedges

A beautifully illustrated guide explaining why our hedgerows are important, why they are under threat and how we can protect them. The guide includes a handy hedge tree identification sheet and a "Did you know" guide. "This guide is a celebration of hedgerows. We wanted to share our passion ...

Illustration from "The Higglety-Pigglety Hedge" by Clive Pig, Devon Hedges

The Higglety-Pigglety Hedge

This 11 minute video story, written and told by Clive Pig, is an amusing and entertaining account of why the hedge at the bottom of the garden is so much better for wildlife than a wooden fence ever would be. Written and told for younger children, it is designed to help them learn about why he ...

The Hedgerow Year

In celebration of our hedgerows we are publishing a series of illustrations from "The Hedgerow Year" which shows the wonderful diversity of flowering shrubs, small trees and climbers which make up Devon's hedgerows. Each month is recorded with detailed watercolour illustrations and accompanyin ...

Ticks and Lyme Disease

Ticks can transmit bacteria that cause diseases such as Lyme disease. Although not all tick bites result in disease, it is important you know how to avoid tick bites and to take action if you or your family get bitten. These two factsheets provides important health advice and some basic precaution ...

Are our hedges healthy?

When I moved to Devon nearly twenty years ago, it was a delight to behold a landscape still generously endowed with hedgerows: I had arrived from Norfolk, a county of huge arable fields with little by way of hedges at all, in many parts. However, looking more closely at some of our local hedges re ...

DEFRA consultation on hedgerow protection

DEFRA is undertaking a review of the hedgerow protection regulations and has opened a public consultation on the review. Looking at the dire state of many of the hedgerows in the vicinity, especially - with a few notable and honourable exceptions - to the north west of Crediton, you may be thinkin ...


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