Hedgerow survey

Hedgerows are among the most important and recognisable features of the English countryside, outlining fields and marking parish boundaries.

Hedgerows not only provide shelter for stock and crops, but can also support around thirty species of trees and shrubs, sixty-five species of birds and around fifteen hundred species of insects. With approximately 10,000 miles of hedgerows criss-crossing Leicestershire and Rutland, this is a popular countryside feature which is also a target priority habitat for the Biodiversity Action Plans.

It is all of these facts that make them key habitats and yet since 1945 hedgerows have been in decline with an estimated 30% of the county’s hedgerows having been destroyed in Leicestershire alone.   It is extremely important that these habitats are recorded and preserved, both for our enjoyment and for the sake of the environment as a whole.

The Cutting Hedge of Biodiversity booklet (pdf document, 426kb) covers a wide range of information relating to hedgerows. As well as describing the wildlife found in and around hedgerows, it also has sections on folklore and history. There are ideas about projects and activities that can be undertaken by local people. You can also download a hedgerow survey form (pdf document, 380kb); your records will provide invaluable information, helping conservationists safeguard hedgerows in the future.