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The Great British
Hedgerow Survey

Hedgerows criss-cross our countryside providing vital habitat for our wildlife as well as acting as corridors for dispersal. But how healthy are our hedgerows? This survey provides a health check for our hedges, and gives tailored management advice to help ensure this precious habitat can thrive in the future. We are looking for land owners and volunteers to help us build a national picture of hedgerows in the UK, so please take part in the Great British Hedgerow Survey today.

Survey Guidelines Take Part

Hedgerows need our help

Although the rates of direct hedge removal have been reduced, we are still seeing the loss of hedges through the way they are managed. With many farmland species now marginalised to hedgerows, it’s time to look at the features of our hedges we can use to protect them.

70% of the UK is agricultural land and hedgerows often provide the safest route of travel for our wildlife. Whether this is dormice who need shrubby growth to travel and are reluctant to travel on the ground, or flying creatures like insects and bats who take advantage of the shelter that hedgerows provide. We need a well connected network of hedges to help our wildlife thrive.

From the herbaceous vegetation at the bottom, to the woody shrubs that make up the structure and the trees that tower above the hedge canopy, all the parts that make up a hedge play a role for wildlife.

The structure of a hedge can tell us a lot about past management and can give us an insight into it's condition, as well as help us understand the best possible management plans to ensure it thrives in the future.

The importance of our hedgerows cannot be overstated, especially at this time where we are seeing worrying declines in our native wildlife. They provide a home, forage, a hunting ground, shelter and routes of travel in our increasingly intensive landscape. Within our agricultural landscape, hedgerows are one of the only remaining semi-natural homes that wildlife has. But some hedges are better for wildlife than others.

Hedgerow Surveys

PTES Hedgerow Survey *

Current Hedgerow Statistics

44.3 Overtrimmed
27.8 Dense and managed
21.5 Tall and overgrown
6.3 Recently rejuvenated

* Statistics contain results from historic assessment results in addition to current online hedgerow surveys.

FAQs

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The information that you provide will be held by People’s Trust for Endangered Species. For information on how PTES processes personal data, please see our data protection policy. You can change how you hear from us via enquiries@ptes.org or by calling 020 7498 4533. [The biological data collected through this survey, including the locations, is shared with a number of third parties for analysis and to help guide conservation action e.g. statutory agencies, universities and other NGOs. This data never includes your personal details.]

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The Great British
Hedgerow Survey

Hedgerows need our help

Connectivity

Structure

Wildlife

Hedgerow Surveys

Current Hedgerow Statistics

Length of
hedgerow surveyed

Average number of woody species
reported per 30m

% hedges in each
main structure category

Average trees/100m

FAQs

i Help/FAQs

i Survey Related FAQs

The Great BritishHedgerow Survey

Hedgerows need our help

Connectivity

Structure

Wildlife

Hedgerow Surveys

Current Hedgerow Statistics

Length of hedgerow surveyed

Average number of woody species reported per 30m

% hedges in each main structure category

Average trees/100m

FAQs

i Help/FAQs

i Survey Related FAQs

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The Great British
Hedgerow Survey

Length of
hedgerow surveyed

Average number of woody species
reported per 30m

% hedges in each
main structure category