Here at Hobson Farming, we’ve been busy “gapping up” our hedges – to make a real difference to the landscape and the wildlife that depends on it. By filling in the empty spaces in existing hedgerows, we’re strengthening one of nature’s most important assets: connected wildlife corridors.
Hedges are far more than just field boundaries; they’re rich, linear habitats that allow nature to flow freely across the farm. When gaps appear, they break these corridors, disrupting the movement of small mammals, insects, and birds. That means fewer safe passageways, fewer nesting opportunities, and less cover from predators. By carefully “gapping up” these breaks, we’re restoring connectivity so wildlife seuch as farmland birds and beneficial predators (like beetles, hedgehogs and stoats) can thrive across a joined-up network of hedges.
Our team has recently planted 1,700 hedge plants, including quickthorn, blackthorn, hazel, dogwood, and guelder-rose, over a combined length of 285 meters. These native species provide blossom for pollinators and berries and for birds and mammals, and dense shelter all year round. With this latest phase of planting, we’ve now planted over 1.2 kilometres of new hedgerows at Crockey Hill in the past six years.