Increasing biodiversity through heritage hedges

Published on 25 February 2022

Native hedges help give the Moorlands its distinctive character and are a priority for conservation management locally and nationally.

And the District Council is supporting efforts to keep this heritage craft alive by organising courses for people to learn traditional hedge laying skills.

A recent two-day course at Ladderedge Country Park saw participants and Friends of Ladderedge volunteers lay 100m of hedge.

They were joined by Councillor Joe Porter, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Biodiversity at Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, who was refreshing his hedge laying skills and helping with conservation work.

He said: "As well as being a traditional craft which we want to keep alive in our region, hedge laying like this encourages a diverse wildlife population which is key to improving biodiversity.

"I was delighted to join the Ladderedge volunteers and the people attending the course to learn more about the role hedges like this play in conservation management as well as getting involved in laying the hedge itself.

"Over two days 100m of hedge was laid which is fantastic and, as repeated laying can maintain hedges indefinitely, our efforts will be there for generations to come supporting an increased wildlife population and ensuring this part of Staffordshire retains the heritage crafts which give it its character."

The countryside charity CPRE is championing the role hedgerows play in helping to tackle climate change by capturing carbon and providing other benefits such as habitats and corridors for wildlife.

Locally, the nature recovery plans being developed by the Council will look at the protecting and enhancing both traditional hedges and hedgerows.