A shelterbelt can be little more than an extended hedge. An amount of land as little as 5 metres wide planted with four rows of trees will provide an effective shelterbelt. The creation of shelterbelts is one of the most necessary, strategically important and rewarding of any landowner’s stewardship of their property. Creating microclimates, linking habitats, conserving water, diminishing flooding, preventing soil erosion, enhancing biodiversity and noise avoidance all rely on a dynamic layout of linking shelterbelts, which then also become ‘green lanes’ for extending both flora and fauna. 

The most important outcome will be to demonstrate that a mosaic of OSB / historic hedgerow “wildlife corridors” supported by wildlife friendly field margins will form a key natural reservoir bolstering many native species and biodiversity. 

This is the popular component of the trial, which is designed to benefit all parties creating a new bridge supporting necessary and productive agriculture on the one hand, and also slowing the dramatic decline of so many of our key indicator species on the other. 

The project has received funding from the woodland trust, Great Western Community Forest, Cotswold National Landscape through their Farming in Protected Landscape scheme, Protect Earth and the Dulverton Trust.

For more information, contact Maisie Jepson ([email protected]g.uk) or click this link to read a PDF newsletter.