Better Boundaries
Lead Partner
New Forest Land Advice Service
What has been achieved?
Boundary features such as hedgerows, ditches and banks are important to local wildlife and contribute to the character of New Forest farmland.
The New Forest Land Advice Service has worked with 22 landowners to restore, enhance or create 4km of boundary features in the west of the Forest.
Through hedge laying and hedge planting these improved features have created new habitat corridors and better opportunities for wildlife to thrive.
All hedges monitored by Hampshire & Isle
of Wight Wildlife Trust were found to have experienced an increase in value for biodiversity since the restoration works.
Bats are now commuting and foraging along a new hedge that was planted to connect existing hedges.
Find out more about Rural Skills and Better Boundaries in this handy video:
Legacy
In the long term, the New Forest Land Advice Service will continue to work with landowners to restore and enhance boundary features on their holdings and give funding advice. They will also continue to facilitate traditional skills courses such as hedgelaying, and will offer hedgerow management advice to landowners.
Contact details
Julie Melin-Stubbs – Wildlife and Conservation Manager, New Forest Land Advice Service
Tel: 01590 646696
email: julie.melin-stubbs@nflandadvice.org.uk
