Hedges - the good, the bad and the ugly

A short ecology and habitat creation course to help you get the best from your hedges.

Hedges are among UK’s most important habitats. We have lost half of them in living memory, and most are now mere skeletons of what they should be. A good hedge is an abundant habitat for all sorts of wildlife, as well as being pleasing on the eye, and a traditional feature of our countryside.

This short course looks at hedges in various condition – the good, the bad and the ugly, and explores:

• What makes a good hedgerow habitat
• If you have hedgerows to look after, how do they compare to ours, and how you can make the most of them.
• When to lay hedges, when to flail or trim them, and when to leave them alone and let nature do its thing.
• What to plant in your hedges if they have big gaps, or if you are starting from scratch

This is not a practical course, (hedgelaying courses will be run later in the year), but bring a pair of boots and appropriate clothing for a full morning outdoors as we will be walking and talking, and seeing what hedgerow inhabitants we can find.

All-terrain electric wheelchairs are available – please let us know in advance if you need one.

Magdalen is an organic farm with an abundance of wildlife and habitats, (including 4.5 km of hedges), and a fascinating place to get better acquainted with nature.

Free course supported by Dorset AONB - Places are limited so please book in advance or contact us for further details.