Over the past couple of months we have been carrying out work on an exciting project at Spurn!

The Trust acquired funding from the Government Countryside Stewardship scheme to gap-up a 70m space in one of our hedgerows, to create a continuous length of dense shrubbery.

We took our 2023 trainees Sam and Emma on a trip to Mires Beck Nursery in North Cave to learn all about the different hedgerow species and their properties, propagation methods, carbon offsetting projects and their charitable green therapy operations. (Mires Beck provide work experience opportunities and social therapeutic horticulture for adults living with the challenges of Autism, learning and physical disabilities.)

After discussing which native species are required for hedgerow gapping up, we chose a majority of hawthorn and blackthorn as these dominate in the local area. We also included wych elm, hazel, alder buckthorn, holly, and dogwood, as the more diverse the species are in a hedgerow, the more wildlife it is likely to support, due to the plants’ differing flowering and fruiting times.

With the help of our wonderful task day volunteers, we began clearing the 70m gap of overgrown bramble and grasses, to prepare the area for re-planting. 

This coincided with receiving a donation of new electric brush cutters from the Matthew Good Foundation, which made the job easier, quieter and more climate friendly.

Clearing this strip of land may seem counterproductive but it means there will be less shadowing from nearby shrubbery, and less competition for the new saplings.

We don’t undertake regular tree planting at Spurn, so we organised a skill sharing day with The Conservation Volunteers at a local farm in Patrington. Kayley Rankin, Tree and Woodland Creation Officer for The Conservation Volunteers, and fellow Hull University alumni, gave us the opportunity to learn and practice tree planting techniques, in particular, the best method for planting a hedgerow.

We were shown that to create a thick stock proof hedgerow, saplings need to be planted in a staggered double row 40 centimetres apart with a minimum of 6 plants per metre.

We also practiced the T cut planting method, which was the most suitable planting technique for our soil type. Lastly we learnt about the different types of tree guard for effective protection and which canes to use for support.

Despite what seemed like never ending rain in the following weeks, we used all the knowledge we had gained and skills we had practiced, to plant our hedgerow in one task day! It was a fulfilling and enjoyable day which we hope has a great impact on Spurn’s surrounding flora and fauna.

Hedgerows are such an important habitat in the UK and can be seen buzzing with life. Hedgerows not only provide food for wildlife, but their different features support different species. For example, hedgehogs will use the shrub and base layer for shelter and hibernation, birds use the canopy for nesting and bats can use the shrub layer and other linear landscape features to forage and roost.

The grassy base layer can also provide the perfect breeding habitat for many animals such as grass snakes, bees and other insects. The more successful pollination is, the more berries will be produced come the spring and summer, thereby feeding the vital migrating birds that stop off at Spurn.  Bees are also known to use hedgerows to traverse across the landscape, rather than crossing open fields.

As well as these, Spurn is host to a localised population of green hairstreak butterflies that will use hedgerows to forage and lay their eggs.

Hedgerows are beneficial in many other ways such as flood mitigation, preventing soil run off and wind erosion.

By replanting this section of hedgerow, we hope to boost landscape connectivity, promote biodiversity and create a green corridor benefitting an array of Spurn’s wildlife.