Natural England

National Hedgelaying Championship
Saturday 25 October 2008
To be held on the Sandringham Estate, by gracious permission of Her Majesty the Queen

Hedgerows help to define the British countryside. 506,000 miles of hedge form what is in effect the largest nature reserve in the country but they do have to be sympathetically managed if they are to survive. Hedgelaying is the traditional method of management going back many hundreds of years that made hedges stock proof and able to keep animals in or indeed out of fields. By partially cutting through each stem along the hedge and bending them over to be weaved in a neat line, an overgrown hedge is turned into piece of pure craftsmanship. A thick healthy hedge is a wonderful wildlife habitat providing ideal nesting conditions for birds and shelter for many species of insect and small mammal. Hedges are the wildlife corridor of the countryside.

The National Hedge Laying Society whose patron is His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales encourages the many local styles that exist throughout the country, seven of which can be seen at the competition. Members organise training of the craft and encourage good demonstrations hedgerow management.

On the day there is also a ploughing match and rural craft demonstrations and a variety of trade stands. It is a wonderful chance to see skilled craftsmen producing something both fascinating and unique and of great value in preserving our environment. The event has kindly been co-sponsored by Natural England.

Alex Nichols, Natural England’s regional Agri-Environment Scheme Project manager said, “Natural England’s Higher Level Stewardship Scheme (HLS) is continuing to build on the major contribution that both the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) and Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme (ESA) made to hedgerow planting and restoration. To date, under HLS, over 193km of hedgerows have been restored and 163km of new hedgerows planted. We continue to add hedgerow restoration and new planting to existing CSS, ESA and HLS agreements and we are happy to receive further requests from agreement holders.” For further information contact Alex Nichols at Natural England on 01284 717595.

We would welcome any help in promoting the event prior to the 25th of October and would provide a warm welcome to media staff able to come along and cover the event on the day.

Notes for editors:

For further details of the event please contact
Nigel Adams on 01491 613501, email: nigelpadams@aol.com or
Allan Portas on 01525 873795

For more information on Natural England please contact Andrew Smith on 01223 533474. Alternatively, contact our national press office on 0845 603 9953, press@naturalengland.org.uk, out of hours 07970 098005. For further information about Natural England please visit: www.naturalengland.org.uk

Environmental Stewardship (including HLS) is a Government-funded scheme open to all farmers, which funds the delivery of environmental benefits through agriculture. The scheme aims to conserve wildlife, maintain and enhance our landscape quality and character, protect our natural resources, and promote public access to the countryside.

Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.