How Hedgerows Help The Environment - And How We Can Help You Grow Them!

With their latticework of branches, vibrant blossoms, and rich textures, hedgerows are an integral part of our cultural heritage, adding natural beauty to the UK’s landscape throughout the seasons. Whether draped in the delicate white flowers of hawthorn in spring or bursting with the rich colours of berries in autumn, native hedging has shaped the character of the British countryside for centuries. 

The Environmental Benefits of Hedgerows

But hedgerows aren’t just beautiful—they’re also packed with environmental benefits:

Helping Pollinators Thrive

Pollinators, like bees and butterflies, are essential for our ecosystems, but they need specific conditions to thrive. A well-planted and maintained hedgerow provides the three things they need:

• Food: Different hedgerow plants flower at different times, meaning pollinators can find nectar and pollen throughout the seasons.
• Safe Travel Routes: Hedgerows act as ‘flyways’ or b-lines, guiding pollinators from one food source to the next, while also offering protection from predators and harsh weather.
• Overwintering Spaces: Hedgerows provide shelter, allowing pollinators to overwinter in a safe and secure environment.

A Smorgasbord for Birds

Hedgerows support up to 80% of our woodland and farmland bird populations, providing a rich source of food and shelter. Berries, nuts, leaves, and insects make for a great diet, while the structure of the hedges offers birds safe nesting sites.

Green Corridors

Hedgerows stretch across the landscape, creating a vital network that allows wildlife to move freely between different areas. These green corridors help connect populations that might otherwise be isolated, reducing their vulnerability.  Bats, for example, use hedgerows both as feeding grounds and as flight paths, travelling between their roosts and foraging sites.

Sequestering Carbon

Hedgerows play a huge role in carbon sequestration, meaning they capture and store carbon from the atmosphere helping to reduce carbon emissions.

Other Environmental Advantages

Hedgerows are fantastic for improving biodiversity, providing shade and fodder for animals, reducing water runoff, preventing soil erosion and providing a natural defence for crops by acting as windbreaks and reducing the damage caused by strong winds and storms. When managed well, they become even more powerful at boosting local ecosystems.

Diversity is Key

A mix of species in a hedgerow provides plants that flower and fruit at various times, which is key to supporting a diversity of wildlife. For example, native plants like blackthorn and hawthorn provide early spring food for pollinators, while others like hazel and dogwood continue to provide resources throughout the year.

By planting a diverse range of species, you’re creating a rich environment for wildlife - insects, birds, mammals, and even bats! One study counted 2070 species in an 85-metre stretch of hedging. A thriving hedgerow is an essential habitat for many rare and threatened species. For example, the hazel dormouse  depends on the diversity of hedgerow plants for nutrition and shelter throughout the year, and without hedges, many populations would decline.

Hedgerows are also crucial for bats, offering safe commuting routes between roosting sites and feeding areas. Certain bat species, like the brown long-eared bat, feed on insects found in the foliage of hedgerows, while others use them as roosting sites. The loss of hedgerows can severely impact bat populations, making their conservation even more critical.

Other animals, like bank voles, hedgehogs, and even stoats, also rely on hedgerows for food and shelter. These hedges are essential corridors for larger mammals to travel across the land safely.

Butterfly species like the brown hairstreak and peacock butterfly use hedgerows as breeding grounds, shelter, and feeding zones. In fact, a healthy, well-managed hedgerow provides the perfect habitat for over 20 butterfly species found in lowland Britain, including the holly blue and purple emperor. By maintaining diverse plants and allowing hedgerows to grow tall and wide, you’re giving butterflies the perfect environment to flourish.

Managing Hedgerows for Maximum Benefit

To get the most out of your hedgerows, management is key. Techniques like hedge laying and coppicing (cutting stems just above ground level) help keep hedges healthy and full of life. These practices create dead wood, which provides a habitat for insects, while also encouraging new shoots that offer food for animals and pollinators.

The timing of management is crucial. Trimming hedgerows on a two- to three-year cycle ensures there’s always something to provide for wildlife, whether it’s flowers, berries, or insects. Also, avoiding trimming during bird breeding seasons (typically March through to September) helps protect nesters and ensures that butterflies and other pollinators have the resources they need to thrive.

How We’re Helping with Hedgerow Planting

At Meadowmania, we’re passionate about helping our customers plant and maintain hedgerows that support biodiversity and provide habitats for wildlife that will thrive for years to come.

We’ve created a range of British Native Hedging Mixtures, which includes native plants like field maple, hawthorn, blackthorn, guelder, and hazel. These species are perfect for creating a biodiverse, native hedgerow that provides food and habitats for wildlife.

You can purchase these plants as bare-root hedging whips for delivery between the end of November and March - we’re here to offer expert advice on when and how to plant them.

Ready to plant your own hedgerow? Get in touch with us today to find out more about our native hedging packs and how we can help you create the perfect hedgerow for your land! 🌿