Hedgerows as Wildlife Welfare Infrastructure

Hedgerows are critical wildlife habitat providing food, shelter, nesting sites, and movement corridors for hundreds of species, with their loss a major driver of agricultural wildlife welfare decline.

Key Facts

The UK has lost approximately 50% of its hedgerow network since World War II
Hedgerows support up to 80% of UK woodland birds, 50% of mammals, and 30% of butterflies
Hedgerow birds including yellowhammer, corn bunting, and linnet are among the fastest declining UK species
Hedgerow restoration through agri-environment schemes has successfully increased hedgehog and bird populations

Welfare Considerations

Hedgerow welfare value is ecological: diverse, well-managed hedgerows provide the structural complexity that allows wildlife to meet needs for food, shelter, and reproduction in agricultural landscapes. The loss of hedgerows has removed wildlife welfare infrastructure across vast areas of agricultural land, leaving birds, mammals, and invertebrates without the resources they require. Hedgerow restoration through planning requirements, agri-environment payments, and landowner engagement provides a practical pathway to recovering wildlife welfare in agricultural landscapes. Even new hedgerow plantings deliver wildlife benefits within 5-10 years as structure develops.

What You Can Do

Support agri-environment hedgerow restoration programmes in agricultural policy
Plant native hedgerow species in gardens and rural land as wildlife welfare infrastructure
Advocate for planning requirements that protect and restore hedgerows in development contexts
Support organisations monitoring and restoring hedgerow networks in your region