26-28-11-21: Hedgerowing in Tolworth part 2

 Last week we were out with the fantastic team from the Conservation volunteers finishing off our first laying of our hedgerow that was planted in 2012. 

Judith talking the group through what we are aiming to get to clearance wise

While the purpose of hedge laying traditionally is to create a barrier out of self sustaining materials which help keep livestock in a location. People have been creating hedges throughout history various forms of live and dead hedging methods in different styles can no doubt be found in every culture where containment of livestock would have been a desired outcome. 

Volunteers being taught key hedge laying skills

This link Hedgelaying | Heritage Crafts discusses some of the historic references to hedge laying and management in the context of the British and European countryside and history.

Progress at the end of day 1

While they would have been developed for livestock control – live and to some extent dead hedges as we know them, also create vital habitats and linking habitats for a range of wildlife. Well maintained hedges generate lots of new growth at different life stages, are dense and provide cover for species such as nesting birds and hedgehogs. The new growth at different life stages increase the niches for different species for example – brown hairstreak butterfly require young blackthorn growth for their eggs, so creating an environment where periodic cutting helps to increase the amount of new growth on established trees and shrubs in sheltered sunny areas really benefits this species (which we have on our site). 

We started working on this hedgerow in April this year after the planting in 2012 had finally developed enough to lay for the first time. 

In April the Conservation Volunteers had a small group of experienced hedge laying volunteers start work on the hedgerow and lay the first 20-30meters – read the last blog post about it here. All of which had good vigorous new growth. 

Over three days last week, we finished laying the hedgerow, with the more experienced volunteers and Judith from TCV showing all of us the methods of hedge laying, preparing the stakes, pleaching the selected shrubs (after a lot of preparation of our very very prickly and spiky hedging plants) and then binding the tops of the stakes after laying/ pleaching the selected plants to keep them all down. 

It was a great three days and we got lots done, as well as having a loveliness of ladybirds of the harlequin variety colonise various people’s coats, avoiding stepping on the any hills throughout the area and trying to record various mushrooms that we spotted along the way. 

We also made sure to incorporate standing trees immediately adjacent to the hedgerow to help develop the complexity of the habitat niches available in the hedgerow for wildlife. Check out our mini video tour on twitter here  

The hero shot as the team on the last day walk off into the sunset after completing a great job :)