Volunteers have been keeping some traditional hedge-laying skills alive in Medway.
Eleven staff who normally work on a wide range of energy infrastructure projects at UK Power Networks Services exchanged their usual hard hats, mobile phones and keyboards for loppers and saws for a day reviving the heritage skill of dead hedge-laying at Riverside Country Park, Rainham.
Despite the name, ‘dead’ hedges are full of life and a sustainable way of recycling branches from woodland maintenance to provide food, shelter and breeding grounds for insects, birds, hedgehogs and small mammals.
The hard-working volunteers made stakes to support the hedge, and weaved foliage between these posts, driving forward a new wildlife project with Medway Council’s countryside rangers from Medway Norse. They gave their time through Donate a Day, which gives staff two paid days each year to volunteer in their local communities.
Providing food and shelter for natural wildlife
Emma Kemp, who led the event at UK Power Networks Services, said: “It was a lovely project to build a hedgerow for wildlife. The rangers were really pleased to have so many helping hands and seemed impressed with how much the team achieved in a day. The foliage will die off, leaving a natural fence line for wildlife. It was an energising day, everyone worked hard, and we enjoyed spending time together in the countryside supporting a local wildlife project. The ranger team was delighted with the finished result and we hope our efforts will provide food and shelter for local wildlife. Being amongst nature is always a brilliant boost for mental health and wellbeing and I think it’s fabulous that through our Donate a Day programme we are encouraged to support our local communities.”
Thank you to all the volunteers
Cllr Simon Curry, Medway Council's Portfolio Holder covering Greenspaces, said: "I would like to thank the volunteers from UK Power Networks Services who gave up their time to help with this important project at our award-winning Riverside Country Park. We are extremely grateful for the work of all volunteers and friends groups who help keep our greenspaces looking fantastic.”
Exciting project
Katie Pattison, a senior ranger at Medway Norse, said: “A big thank you to this great group of volunteers who kick-started an exciting dead hedging project around our meadows! They have created some very important habitat for our local wildlife, as a protective corridor, but also to border our footpaths.”
Covering 100 hectares by the Medway Estuary, Riverside Country Park has rich wildlife habitats including mudflats and salt marsh, ponds and reed-beds, grassland and scrub.