Sheffield Hedge Fund

Working with The University of Sheffield

Gareth Roberts

November 18th, 2019

RegatherRegather Farm

Regather proudly presents the Sheffield Hedge Fund!

Support the Sheffield Hedge Fund, help plant 1000m of new hedgerow and give a truly amazing gift which will benefit local wildlife & ecosystems, and will keep on growing… forever!

Help Plant 1000m of New Hedgerow

What will we do? – The newly planted hedgerow will offer a rich mix of native British hedge and tree species planted with between three to six plants every metre, as a double row hedge, with one tree every six to ten metres.
Where will we do it? – 700m of new hedgerow will be planted at Regather Farm, Sheffield on agricultural land tenanted by Regather under long lease, fully supported by the land owners and protected by conservation area and greenbelt status. 300m of new hedgerow will be planted in public and community locations across Sheffield.
When will we plant the hedge? – Hedgerow planting will start after the beginning of March 2020, because planting into clay soils is best after heavy frosts, which can cause frost heave and expose roots. Further planting will happen in Autumn 2020. The hedgerow will take 3-7 years to grow into maturity.
Who will do it? – The Regather team will plant the hedgerow, and will engage Sheffield Hedge Fund supporters, community groups, schools, young people and volunteers of all ages and backgrounds to get involved in well organised, safe and enjoyable hedge planting days from March 2020 onward (weather permitting)
How do we know what to do? – The hedgerow will be planted using the Natural England ‘Hedgerow Planting‘ guidance prepared on behalf of the Steering Group for the UK Biodiversity Action Plan for Hedgerows. Regather will manage and maintain the hedgerow using the Hedgelink UK ‘Hedgerow Management Cycle‘ approach.
Why are hedges important (again)? – Hedgerows are an amazing and vital asset to the landscape. They will help us make Regather Farm, and the Sheffield landscape more productive and more resilient. Hedgerows provide habitat, control rainfall and prevent flooding, stop erosion of precious soils and provide shelter. With careful management they provide useful on farm resources including poles, logs and woodchip for compost – essential for on farm fertility building.