CPRE Hampshire

Volunteering, conservation and land management.

Main focus on hedge planting/hedge laying, public talks i.e. parish groups, schools, scouts groups etc. (both online/in-person) as well as walk-and-talk informational nature tours.

What should participants expect?

Our activity days offer many skills and opportunities engrained in vital traditional and modern conservation methods. Volunteers gain an understanding of the processes of the UK Countryside and the threats that have been posed on vital habitats such as hedgerows. Our current project ‘The Hampshire Hedge’ focuses on a 15km project area stretching from the South Downs National Park to the New Forest National Park, in an effort to provide natural connectivity within Hampshire, seizing the unique opportunity given to us to connect two major natural ecosystems within one county.

Throughout a very successful first year of our project, we have liaised with hundreds of individuals, a large fraction of whom have been our dedicated volunteers, both new-coming and old. The activities that these volunteers have participated in have produced a wealth of benefits for each individual. Here are some quotes from some of our regular volunteers:

Helen Davies: ‘I have been volunteering with the Hampshire Hedge project since the start and it’s great to see how volunteer numbers have grown. We are really starting to make an impact. It’s great to get outdoors, come rain or shine, and get involved in a practical environmental project. I regularly visit the New Forest and South Downs National Parks so it feels good to put something back.’

Mark Johns: ‘I heard about the project through word of mouth. This is my second week and I have got involved with planting sessions at both ends of the hedge. It is a good motivation to get off the sofa and head outside whatever the weather. The practical work is not difficult and you can go at your own pace, there’s no pressure.’

Beren Ashton-Butler: ‘I’ve done a little hedge laying before as I’m keen on preserving rural skills that make the British countryside special. I work in the New Forest where there aren’t many hedges to enjoy and, being from Somerset, I’m spoilt by the amount of hedges I’m used to! Finding the Hampshire Hedge project seemed like an excellent opportunity to learn a new style of laying a hedge and refresh my skills in hedge laying. I receive tremendous pleasure from keeping rural crafts alive so from a heritage point of view I feel very satisfied participating in work like this. It’s systematic and meditative. I enjoy working with my hands, it’s very pleasing seeing the neat progress you’ve made and I simply love working outdoors in all weathers. Would I recommend others to get involved? Yes, yes, yes! I believe we gain a lot from being more engaged in the elements and creating things. Hedge laying is a beautiful and varied art and knowing that the connectivity the Hampshire Hedge project aims to achieve benefits wildlife so greatly is something I think more people would be happy to be a part of.’

Where does the activity take place?

Hampshire is unique in the fact that it has not one, but two national parks within its borders, the South Downs and the New Forest. We are seizing this unique opportunity to create a stretch of connectivity between the two parks.

Our project area stretches 15km between Winchester and Copythorne, passing through a handful of large parishes in which we have built connections with individuals such as farmers and land owners, and organisations such as Hampshire County Council, parish groups and similar conservation groups. We use these networking opportunities to assess sites with potential for planting and laying.

The majority of our planting and laying sites so far are on farmland, these sites make for good starting points for our projects as they are safe and beneficial to the farmer as hedgerows provide unique factors helpful in farm management. we also frequently plant near and on footpaths, these make for excellent sites as the finished product is readily seen by passersby, generating interest in our project and efforts.

Most of our sites are in the countryside whether it be farmland, a natural field or a footpath. Although sometimes this produces its own issues, especially in the case of bad weather, CPRE Hampshire always takes into consideration the safety, accessibility and enjoyment of our volunteers so that both parties can get the most out of each other’s involvement and excel towards a more connected countryside.

When does it take place?

Overall, hedge planting and hedge laying are seasonal activities, only suitable in the late Autumn / Winter / early Spring (roughly September-March) this is for a few reasons: Seasonal species migrate/hibernate during this time making it safe to lay hedges without disturbing animals, hedges are bare of leaves during this time making it much easier to lay, during the warmer seasons hedges are fully fledged and provide the maximum level of ecosystem services during this time, so planting and laying during this time would be counter-productive.

In the off months, we spend time networking with future partners to further our project in the coming year. We also use this time to survey past hedges and future hedges worthy of management.

Who can participate?

CPRE Hampshire relies on volunteers to perform the bulk of our activities. There are no restrictions as to who can participate with us, as long as they are medically sound to participate in specific tasks. Under-16s are allowed to join us, but they must be accompanied by a parent/guardian. Large groups of children such as Scouts or school groups must be accompanied by a handful of supervising adults.

We also frequently work with staff members of organisations similar to us, including national park staff, council staff, natural authority staff etc.

Cost:

The activities we provide are free of charge for our volunteers and we encourage anyone to join us. The only costs to consider would be personal expenses such as food, fuel, tools if needed and clothes