Communities Fund Employee Giving has provided £1,960 of match funding
Hedgerow Heroes
Bristol, England, United Kingdom
Aim
To plant and rejuvenate native hedgerows in parks, green spaces and the countryside for the benefit of people, communities and wildlife.
At CPRE Avon and Bristol we have an ambition to rejuvenate 10km of native, mixed-species hedgerow, and to create new ones, by the end of CPRE’s Centenary year in 2026.
Over the last 4 years we have achieved 8.5km of our target, which wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of our wonderful volunteers and financial contributions from our generous funders.
We are seeking match funding to help us reach our 2km goal for this autumn and winter season, 2026/7.
Why hedgerows?
Hedgerows are the unsung heroes of our countryside, parks and green spaces. Not only are they beautiful, with shifting seasonal colours providing blossom and berries but they also provide food, shelter and important nesting sites for a wide variety of birds and animals and act as movement corridors for wildlife. Hedgerows benefit people too and are essential for tackling the climate crisis. They:
- Capture and store carbon
- Absorb air pollution
- Absorb water and help reduce flooding
- Help reduce storm damage by reducing wind speeds
- Help mitigate soil erosion
- Protect crops and shelter livestock
- Provide diverse habitat and increase biodiversity
What we do
We work with volunteers to plant new hedgerows and rejuvenate existing ones by teaching them the traditional craft of hedgelaying. This practice brings neglected hedgerows back to life, increasing longevity and providing essential wildlife habitat.
As well as delivering practical work ourselves, we want to influence and inspire farmers, community groups and other landowners to invest in hedgerow creation on their own land.
How will this funding help?
This Community Fund grant will support the core costs of our Hedgerow Heroes project, helping us to identify and work with communities and landowners across our target region to plant new hedgerows and rejuvenate existing ones. Your funding will also help us to provide training for landowners on how to create their own hedgerow management plan, ensuring the benefits of this work remain ongoing for years to come.
Communities Fund has provided £45 of match funding
This project successfully funded on 16th July 2026