Hedgerow Heroes Project: Our sites for 2024-25

Site 1: Arlingham Farm

The site where the hedge will be planted is adjacent to a hay meadow, previously grazed by livestock it is now used exclusively to produce organic hay. The hay crop includes wildflowers and native grass species which are essential for providing habitat and food for pollinators and insect species. By planting a hedgerow on this site, we are bolstering the habitat and encouraging a higher level of biodiversity. There is a pre-existing hedgerow that borders the field and outlines land use boundaries; the new hedgerow will connect these hedges up and improve the landscape.

Site 2: Baldwin Brook Farm

Nestled within Lea Court Farm, in the picturesque village of Framilode near Gloucester, Baldwin’s Brook is set amidst lush countryside and the tranquil banks of the River Severn. Our location offers the ideal balance of seclusion and accessibility, allowing guests to immerse themselves in nature’s beauty while still being within easy reach of major transport links.

Lea Court Farm is a working, semi-organic farm that produces high-quality beef, with a strong focus on animal welfare and sustainable farming practices. A new hedge will be planted in one of the livestock fields, serving both as an enclosure for the animals and as a vital improvement to the local habitat. This hedge will connect the farmland to the nearby River Severn, providing a natural corridor for wildlife, including avian species such as lapwings, which are expected to use it for nesting and breeding, ultimately helping to boost their populations. The site is also home to several species currently listed on the red list, including the little owl and the pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly.

Site 3: Hill Court Farm

Longdon and Eldersfield Marshes were once Worcestershire’s largest and most important wetland, home to otters, bitterns, swallowtail butterflies, and diverse flora. However, in the late Victorian era, the marshes were drained for agriculture, and much of their former splendor has been lost. In 1867, naturalist Edwin Lee described how the marsh would flood in autumn, attracting geese and leaving the ground white with feathers, a stark contrast to the surrounding cultivated land.

In 2001, the Trust purchased 120 hectares of Hill Court Farm and the Blacklands, which were being managed as an intensive dairy and arable farm. We began restoring grasslands and raising spring water levels, but it will take many years for the habitats to mature. Our aim is to recreate grazing marshes, wetlands, and wildlife-friendly farmland to support breeding and wintering birds like lapwings, redshanks, wildfowl, skylarks, and yellowhammers. The hedge we manage, which borders a brook and connects woodland, arable fields, and wetland, provides a safe route for wildlife to move undisturbed.

Site 4: Lower Hampen Farm

The Handy family has been farming at Hampen for over 220 years, with Clive and Lydia as the 7th generation custodians of this Cotswolds AONB farm. Environmental care and wildlife conservation are central to their sustainable farming approach. They focus on enhancing biodiversity and soil health for future generations. Their flock of rare pedigree Devon Closewool sheep provides both delicious meat and fine wool.

Diversity and working with nature underpin their practices. By avoiding soil disturbance and growing crops without artificial inputs, they improve soil health. Their arable rotations include species-rich herb leys, winter cover crops, and legumes grazed by livestock, enriching the soil. The fields are multi-cropped, with florally enhanced margins supporting beneficial insects. They also grow heritage grains, producing local bread flour and malting barley.

The hedge, rich in species like hazel, alder, and hawthorn, borders arable and grazing fields and is part of a project to boost biodiversity in the farm’s less diverse areas. The local secondary school is involved, encouraging students to connect with nature and consider careers in farming and conservation.

Site 5: Ridley Bottom Nature Reserve

A fragment of ancient woodland greets visitors at the entrance to Ridley Bottom, home to small-leaved lime, ash, pedunculated oak, and silver birch. Old lime hedgerows, believed to be hundreds of years old, enclose three small meadows rich with grassland flowers, including common spotted, heath spotted, and lesser butterfly orchids. Cowslips, field scabious, and yellow-wort can be found alongside woodland wildflowers like wood anemone, sanicle, and primrose, suggesting a woodland heritage. Birds such as blackcap, linnet, tree pipit, and coal tit are drawn to the reserve’s tranquillity. The hedgerows provide safe passage for small mammals moving between nearby woods and meadows. Footpaths link Ridley Bottom to neighbouring reserves, Poors Allotment and The Park, which is a heathland restoration area. Hay is harvested from the meadows in July, with sheep grazing from mid-July to December. The hedge plants provided by CPRE will help fill gaps in the existing hedge and connect it to a new one, providing valuable space for wildlife.

Site 6: Saul Farm

This mixed-use farm specialises in the organic production of chicken eggs and also has a small flock of sheep, farmed according to organic regulations. Lucy and Gemma (mother and daughter) work together with a strong vision to transition towards regenerative farming. The site is large, encompassing a range of habitats, including wetlands, woodlands, riparian zones, farmland, and grasslands. The new hedge will be planted in an organic field used for grazing sheep. It will provide shelter and help connect the various habitats across the farm, creating a more cohesive and biodiverse environment while enhancing the existing habitats.

Site 7: The Cotswold School

The Cotswold School is an 11 to 18 academy in Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, achieving academy status in September 2010. Mr Will Morgan has been the principal since 2012. In 2023, the school had 1,430 students. The school’s playing fields include part of the Cotswold Way, a popular hiking route. The new hedge will be planted to visually separate the wildflower/hay meadow from the playing field. On planting day, students will learn about the importance of hedgerows in our landscape and have the opportunity to gain skills in the countryside sector.

Site 6: West End Farm

Set in a perry pear orchard on an organic cattle farm, West End Farm offers almost poetic views from its spectacular location in the horseshoe bend of the River Severn, on the edge of the peaceful Gloucestershire village of Arlingham. Adjacent to the river, with easy access to the Severn Way footpaths, this working arable farm has been in the same family for multiple generations. It boasts a variety of habitats, including orchards, meadows (both grazed and ungrazed), and arable fields. In 2024, a community-run café was established on the site to foster community cohesion and provide a warm space for residents during the colder months. The new hedgerow will connect the orchard and the river, strengthening and enhancing the farm’s diverse habitats.

Site 9: Whittington Court Farm

Whittington Court is a charming Tudor manor house with Jacobean and later additions, set in the stunning Cotswold countryside, five miles east of Cheltenham. The current house, believed to sit on the site of an earlier manor, was likely begun by Richard Cotton of Carmarthen, with further additions made by subsequent generations of the Cotton family, who owned the estate through the 16th and 17th centuries. It was clearly an impressive residence, as on September 9, 1592, Queen Elizabeth “dyned at Mr Cotons at Whytington” during her progress through Gloucestershire. The new hedge will be planted on a recently installed bund, designed for flood protection and environmental care. It will feature typical hedgerow species, alongside flowering and fruiting trees to provide wildlife with food and shelter later in the year.

Site 10: Wolds End Orchard

The Friends of Wolds End Orchard are working closely with the Campden Society, the orchard’s owners, to preserve and protect the site while enhancing its biodiversity. Our shared goal is to maintain the orchard as a Traditional Orchard and Nature Reserve. Since November 2020, the Friends have taken the lead in managing and caring for the site, including securing grants for biodiversity improvements. Our group consists of volunteers with diverse skills and experience, from maintenance and project management to event planning, strategy, marketing, and fundraising. The new hedge will serve as a showcase for planting and management techniques, offering local volunteers the opportunity to gain new skills while boosting biodiversity.