A Dorset environmental group is planning to create a long stretch of hedges across the county from one end to the other.
The plan by the Dorset Climate Action Network (DorsetCAN) is to create 'The Great Big Dorset Hedge' spanning across the county along several walking trails including the Jubilee Trail, the Stour Valley Way, the Brit Valley Trail, the Wareham Forest Way, and the Purbeck Way.
Starting with the Jubilee Trail and Stour Valley Way, they hope to survey the areas that hedges already run along and fill in any gaps. They hope to complete surveying before Christmas and start planting the following year.
Dorset CAN team coordinator Jenny Morisetti said: "We have a very long history of hedgerows in this country, and they have come and gone for various reasons over the years.
"This is an inspiring opportunity to renew interest in the countryside, for us to come together as a community and get connected to the outdoors."
The hope is that by creating an unbroken line of hedges they will promote biodiversity and help the wildlife of all sorts including birds, insects, amphibians, mammals, wildflowers, trees and fungi, to flourish across the county. DorsetCAN are hoping to plant around ten different species of trees and shrubbery to facilitate biodiversity. Additionally, they hope that the hedge will provide a corridor for insects to travel and give shelter to animals over the winter.
Hedgerows are an ancient feature of Britain often used to mark property borders. They were removed for several reasons, including government encouragement to ensure that Britain was self-sufficient after the second world war and because farming machinery could no longer manoeuvre in small fields.
The plan is to start with the Jubilee trail which is 166km long. Jenny says that it is the perfect trail to start with because it covers much of Dorset allowing almost every community to participate.
It is a long-term project which will likely not be complete for several years, but DorsetCAN is looking for surveyors now to get involved using online training and mapping kit to begin the surveying work.
Jenny Morisetti added: "I would like to thank Julie Leah and Ian Duckworth and the others from the DorsetCAN Land Use Team for their work on this project."
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