The unsung hero of wildlife – the hedgerow

Mark Nowers, RSPB Conservation Turtle Dove Advisor gives so many reasons to get planting this autumm to help wildlife and people in the future

- Mark Nowers

Hedgerows connect our countryside better than anything else. These verdant, green corridors are vital providers of food and shelter for wildlife, as well as being an integral part of our cultural heritage and economy. Here we’ll take a look at just how valuable healthy hedgerows are as a precious habitat, both for wildlife and people, and what we can do to make sure they continue to thrive.  

HOW DO HEDGEROWS HELP WILDLIFE? Hedgerows have a lot of strings to their bow. They act as safe routes of travel across fields, connecting woodlands and providing sanctuary for birds, mammals and invertebrates. The fruiting of berries in the autumn and long spring of flowering from March to June provide essential resource to these creatures too. And older, more established hedgerows, which often conceal ancient banks and ditches, offer shelter and a safe space for amphibians and reptiles.  

DO HEDGEROWS HELP PEOPLE? For many people, autumn would not be complete without walking a hedgerow to pick blackberries, sloes and crab apples. Aside from the fabulous social and cultural connection with nature that hedgerows provide and one that is so engrained in our culture, they offer so much more.