The South Hams Tree Warden Network (SHTWN), with expert support from Dr Rob Wolton (Devon Hedge Group) and Megan Gimber (PTES), has produced a new leaflet to promote sustainable hedge management across South Hams. The initiative arose from growing recognition by the SHTWN committee of the vital ecological role hedges play as wildlife corridors providing connectivity in the landscape as well as shelter and food.
The project originated in 2018 when the SHTWN’s Chair Mark Long and coordinator Thelma Rumsey first met Dr Wolton at the Ash Dieback Resilience Forum. Since then, SHTWN has campaigned for greater recognition of hedges within local environmental strategies. Their advocacy persuaded South Hams District Council to expand its “Tree and Woodland Strategy” into the “Tree, Woodland and Hedge Strategy”, ensuring hedges are fully acknowledged. The group also contributed to the Plymouth & South Devon Community Forest Plan.
Throughout 2025, the Tree Wardens have focused on learning about hedges and challenging destructive flailing practices that remove food and shelter for wildlife. With support from Sustainable South Hams, the Network now publishes regular newsletter articles highlighting their work and promoting better hedge management. Tree Warden and farmer Mike Pearey has shared examples from his own land, where replanting and restorative management have already boosted bird and invertebrate numbers.
Numerous visits to local farms have enabled the network to engage with both the farmers and many of the local organisations such as the Devon Rural Skills Trust, Devon Wildlife Trust, the National Trust and FWAG SW. These visits have strengthened collaboration with both landowners and local authorities. The resulting leaflet, Healthy Hedgerows, produced with PTES and funded by South Hams District Council, combines expert guidance, illustrations and photographs. It will be distributed to every parish and to local farmers and landowners, and is the culmination of all the work the South Hams Tree Warden Network has done to raise awareness, improve hedge care, and enhance biodiversity across the South Hams landscape.
Copies of the PDF of the leaflet will be distributed by The Tree Council, on behalf of South Hams Tree Warden Network, to all our Network Co-ordinators across the UK in the coming weeks. If you would like a copy please ask your local coordinator. We hope they will inspire more Networks to take positive action for hedges.
