Volunteers bring hedge laying back to Stoke Park Farm
Hedgerows provide a vital wildlife corridor, helping birds, insects, small mammals and bats move safely between habitats.
Thanks to the dedication of volunteers, an important hedge at Stoke Park Farm is being successfully restored, delivering lasting benefits for wildlife and the landscape.
More than 20 volunteers took part in the first hedge-laying day, late January, turning out in extremely wet conditions to begin work on a hedge that links two ancient woodlands owned by the Woodland Trust - Upper Barn Copse and Crowdhill Copse. This hedge provides a vital wildlife corridor, helping birds, insects, small mammals and bats move safely between habitats.
Hedge laying is a traditional management technique that significantly extends the life of a hedge. While a hedge naturally lasts around 70 years, laying encourages new growth from the base, extending its lifespan by a further 70 years. Repeated every 5 –10 years, this process also creates a much denser structure, offering better protection from predators and improved nesting and shelter opportunities for wildlife.
Under the guidance of Brad, Senior Countryside Ranger from Eastleigh Borough Council, volunteers of varying experience worked together to lay a hedge that had been gradually turning into a line of trees.
Further volunteer sessions have since taken place, with only a short section of hedge remaining to complete. Once finished, the hedge will continue to provide an increasingly rare habitat, maintaining an essential connection between two ancient woodlands.
This project highlights the impact that skilled support, cooperation, and volunteer commitment can have on protecting wildlife and managing the countryside for the future.
Read the full 2025 Volunteer Update to learn more about the work, the volunteers involved, and the difference they are making across Stoke Park Farm.