Could you be a Hedgerow Hero?

CPRE Sussex Director’s column written for West Sussex Gazette, November 2025

CPRE Sussex is inviting everyone to come along and help us plant 2km of hedges in Sussex over the next four months.

Campaigning to “Protect Rural England”, as our name suggests, is not only about protecting and defending treasured landscapes from poor-quality development.

It’s about restoring and regenerating our countryside, with climate and nature in mind.

That’s why, working in partnership with the Manhood Wildlife and Heritage Group, we are planting new native hedgerows on a farmland site on the Manhood Peninsula.

The work will provide wildlife corridors in a landscape surrounded by the protected areas of Pagham Harbour Nature Reserve, Medmerry and Chichester Harbour.

With volunteer planting days expected to run until March, there will be opportunities for hundreds of volunteers to get involved, including teams from local businesses.

Hedgerows are a win-win-win for the countryside.

They are great for nature, great for locking up carbon and they create beautiful landscapes.

They are particularly important on the Manhood Peninsula because the low-lying land is windswept and the hedges provide vital shelter for wildlife and plants.

By putting back hedges and restoring existing stock we are creating a much-needed lifeline for wildlife.

The Sussex project is part of a nationwide CPRE Hedgerow Heroes initiative running across England.

Last year the scheme saw 28,000m of hedgerows planted across the country by teams of volunteers and local CPRE groups.

In Sussex, we’ve planted more than 2,000 trees to create 350m of hedgerow near Hartfield and supported hundreds of metres more on farms surrounding Brighton and Hove.

This year we will plant around 10,000 trees to create 2km of native hedge.

The planting will take place in Ham, Sidlesham, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until mid-March, depending on the wetness of the soil.

We are going to need lots of help but this an incredibly rewarding activity that makes a huge difference to our natural environment here in Sussex.

Not everyone has to dig holes either. We have lighter jobs including putting in the trees, stakes and guards.

To register visit volunteer.cpre.org.uk/opportunities/97916-hedgerow-heroes-2025-09-23

The prospect of a newly-planted hedge sheltering a singing robin from the snow is making us feel festive.

If you’re getting ready for Christmas, keep your eyes peeled on the CPRE Sussex website where we will soon be launching our range of countryside-themed Christmas cards.

The cards are perfect for nature lovers, and you’ll be helping to support our work protecting the Sussex countryside.

Want to give a gift that lasts all year? You can also buy individual or household CPRE Sussex membership as a gift.

Individual membership is just £5 per month, and household membership is just £7.

As a member of CPRE Sussex you get a host of benefits including advance and discounted bookings for our events and discounted access to houses and gardens across the county.

Visit www.cpresussex.org.uk  to find out more.