From England’s South Downs National Park, one can trace a series of traditional hedgerows off into the distance farther than it’s possible to see.
This mega hedge runs all the way across the county of Hampshire, to New Forest National Park, some 15 miles in length.
The Hampshire Hedge, as it’s called, has been three years in the making, as volunteers and experts at making traditional hedges have come together to build an unbroken line of hedgerows connecting the two parks and their wildlife.
Far more than just a fence or barrier, it’s been shown that hedgerows are vital habitat corridors, even as slim as they are. From mice to hedgehogs, insects and birds, they offer a narrow sanctuary to 2,000 species over the course of a year, all of which them the hedges like a natural highway.
The Hampshire Hedge project was put together by the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s (CPRE) “Hedgerows Heroes” program, and was supported by various conservation nonprofits and the UK’s National Lottery Heritage Fund.
“Hedgerows are a defining feature of Test Valley’s landscape and play a vital role in supporting wildlife, tackling climate change and keeping our countryside thriving,” Alison Johnston, a councilwoman responsible for countryside affairs at Test Valley Borough Council, were the hedgerow is located.
Now almost entirely completed, the third-year of hedge laying was celebrated at Broadlands estate at a party called “Hedgefest” that also celebrated CPRE’s 100th anniversary as an organization.
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“It was fantastic to see so many people come together at Hedgefest to share skills, celebrate progress and show what partnership working can achieve.”
Like a highway connecting the two national parks, it should go a long way towards promoting habitat connectivity, a challenging goal when considering the population density in southern England.
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“The CPRE’s project of joining the two National Parks, the New Forest and the South Downs with these hedgerows is just such an inspiring idea,” said Vanessa Rowlands, Chair of the South Downs National Park Authority.
“We’ve always wanted to have a closer link with the New Forest, and we can do it physically and environmentally for the wildlife. So we’re really excited about it!”
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