From tradition to wildlife: volunteers complete 1.1km hedgerow

Date: 13th April 2026

For the past two years, the Chiltern Society’s ‘Rough Around the Hedges’ volunteer group has been restoring a 1.1km stretch of hedgerow at Road Farm as part of a plan to transition to sustainable, nature-friendly farming.

Using traditional hedge laying techniques, the group has created a dense, healthy hedge along the roadside.

The work has been supported by Nigel Adams, a respected local hedge-layer, the Chilterns National Landscape, the Chiltern Society and the HS2 Additional Projects fund.

Over the last four years, the hedge work at Road Farm has included 1km of new hedge planted, 1.5km of hedge-laying and 650m of renovation through coppicing and installing protective fencing. The farm is part of the Central Chilterns Farmer Cluster, supported by the Chilterns National Landscape.

Hedges are more than boundaries – they’re wildlife corridors, offering shelter, nesting sites and food for birds, mammals, and pollinators year-round. Healthy hedges underpin wildlife recovery and help with livestock farming by providing shelter and shade.

To celebrate completing the hedge, volunteers, partners and the farmers themselves came together to place a binding branch in the final section, marking the end of two years of hard work and collaboration.

The project builds on the legacy of the Chalk, Cherries and Chairs Landscape Partnership, whose early support helped set the foundation for the group’s ongoing work in conserving heritage and landscape. A strong example of traditional craft and community effort coming together for nature and people.