From Pam Newby, Exeter 383654, October 09,2006
The importance of hedges for some of the region's best loved birds is the focus of this year's Devon Hedge Week (21st- 29th October).
The week aims to bring Devon's magnificent network of hedges into the spotlight and provide everyone with an opportunity to enjoy and learn about one of the county's finest landscape features.
The events will promote the importance of hedges, and show why hedges are so important for birds, what types of hedge are best, and how to look after them.
Organised by the Devon Hedge Group with support from the Devon Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group, Devon Hedge Week receives financial support from various organisations including Devon County Council.
Rob Wolton, co-chair of the Devon Hedge Group, said: "Hedges are vitally important for many of our most familiar birds, like hedge sparrows, robins, blackbirds, thrushes and goldfinches. These birds, and great rarities like the cirl bunting, spend much of their lives feeding, nesting or roosting in Devon magnificent hedge banks. During the week we'll be showing people how they can improve their hedges for birds and other wildlife, and providing practical advice on management."
This year Devon Hedge Week coincides with schools' half term holidays which will enable more families to enjoy the special events.
Events in Eastern Mid Devon
Hedge Laying Course
Devon Rural Skills Trust (Mick Godfrey)
Date Time: Saturday 21st October 9.30am - 4.30pm
Location: Stallcombe House, Woodbury Salterton.
Course teaching traditional hedge laying skills in the Devon style. Suitable for all levels from novice to experienced.
Special requirements: Booking essential. Sorry, no dogs. Not suitable for those with limited mobility.
Event Cost: DRST Members £15. Non-members £25
Telephone: 01548 821156
Blackdown Hills Hedge Association (Margaret Edwards)
Date Time: Sunday 22nd October 10.00am - 5.00pm
Location: Buckland St. Mary Village Hall.
Description: Join a professional stick maker to create your own personalised thumb stick, knob stick or walking stick. Make a rustic hedgerow chair using hazel and ash from the hedgerows. Create your own Blackdown Trug using goat willow and ash. Weave a jolly hedgerow house for youngsters aged 5 - 10, using willow and slips of hazel, ash and dogwood.
Special requirements: Booking essential. Stout footwear and a kneeler may be useful.
Event Cost: £19 - 40 depending upon materials.
Telephone: 01460 234222
e-mail: mgtedwards@hotmail.com
'Hedge' Our Way Along the Otter
Devon Bird Watching and Preservation Society E Devon AONB (Douglas Cullen)
Date Time: Wednesday 25th October 10.30am - 12.00pm
Location: Budleigh Salterton (Meet at Lime Kiln car park, Otter Estuary)
Description: Discover a wealth of birdlife in the Otter Estuary, from hedgerows and scrapes to wildlife rich mudflats, along an easy access path. Visit the Pebblebed Heath Conservation Trust's new bird hide.
Special requirements: Booking essential.
Event Cost: Free
Telephone: 01404 46663
e-mail: aonb@eastdevon.gov.uk
Hedge Trimming and Management under Agri-Environment Schemes
Peter Burston / Devon Hedge Group / Rural Development Service
Date Time: Wednesday 25th October 2.00 pm - 4.30 pm
Location: Ashridge Farm, Sandford, Crediton
Description: A farm walk to look at rotational hedge trimming and to discuss hedge management under agri-environment schemes.
Special requirements: Booking essential. Classroom has disabled access. Farm walk is unsuitable for those with limited mobility.
Event Cost: Free
Telephone: 01884 855627
e-mail: peterburston@wayfarm.co.uk
Children's Hedge Laying Day
Grand Western Canal Country Park (Joanne French)
Date Time: Thursday 26th October. 1.00pm - 3.00pm
Location: Please call for location
Description: Children's fun day including games and activities and tree planting.
Special requirements: Children must be accompanied by an adult. Sorry, no dogs. Booking essential.
Event Cost: Free
Telephone: 01884 254072
e-mail: joanne.french@devon.gov.uk
Two-Day Hedge Laying Course
Grand Western Canal Country Park (Joanne French or Mark Baker)
Date Time: Saturday 28th Sunday 29th October 10.30 - 4.00pm
Location: Please call for location
Description: Two day course where a section of hedge will be laid whilst learning techniques and styles
Special requirements: Adults only. Sorry, no dogs.
Event Cost: Free
Telephone: 01884 254072
Down on the Farm - Hedgelaying Event
Blacklake Farm East Devon AONB (Catherine Nick Broomfield)
Date Time: Sunday 29th October 10.30am - 12.00pm
Location: Blacklake Farm, East Hill, nr Ottery St Mary
Description: Find out how hedge laying helps make up such an important part of the Devon landscape. Blacklake Farm is managed under a Countryside Stewardship Scheme to protect its important hedgerows, grasslands and vernacular farm buildings.
Special requirements: Booking essential as numbers are limited. The ground is undulating and rough in places.
Event Cost: Free
Telephone: 01364 653026 or 01404 46663
e-mail: aonb@eastdevon.gov.uk
Events in Northern and Western Devon
North Devon and Exmoor Food Safari and Hedge Event
Traditional Devonshire Meats (Rob Paula Wolton)
Date Time: Saturday 21st Sunday 22nd October 10.30am - 4.30pm
Location: Locks Park Farm, Hatherleigh.
Description: Short farm walks looking at the wildlife of hedges and demonstrations of hedgerow crafts like basket, hurdle stick making. Also Devon cattle, organic produce, BBQ cream teas.
Special requirements: Low vehicles need to take care on farm drive. Wheelchair access to demonstrations and stalls, but limited access to hedges and toilets.
Event Cost: Free
Telephone: 01837 810416
e-mail: Paula@traditionaldevonmeats.co.uk
South West Lakes Trust (Jo Simpson)
Date Time: Sunday 22nd October 9.00am - 3.30pm
Location: Roadford Lake (meet in the main dam car park).
Description: Learn to lay a hedge. Join Ben Smeeth, Head Ranger, to learn this ancient countryside management technique.
Special requirements: Over 16 years only. Booking essential. Sorry, no dogs. Not suitable for those with limited mobility.
Event Cost: £10
Telephone: 01566 771930
Hedge Steeping Workshop
FWAG Northern Devon Coast Countryside Service (Tim Argyle)
Date Time: Monday 23rd October 9.00am - 4.00pm
Location: Torrington area (phone for details)
Description: A practical course learning traditional Devon hedge steeping. Suitable for farmers and landowners with hedges they wish to lay.
Special requirements: Booking essential.
Event Cost: £10
Telephone: 01392 882080 e-mail: tim.argyle@fwag.org.uk
A Practical Two-Day Walling (Devon hedge) Course
National Trust (Jonathan Fairhurst)
Date Time: Tuesday 24th Wednesday 25th October 10.00am - 4.00pm
Location: Woolacombe (phone for more details)
Description:.An opportunity to learn how the ancient walls around Woolacombe are constructed, repaired and maintained.
Special requirements: Booking essential.
Event Cost: £10
Telephone: 01271 870555
e-mail: jonathan.fairhurst@nationaltrust.org.uk
A Practical Two-Day Devon Hedgelaying course
National Trust (Justin Seedhouse)
Date Time: Wednesday 25th Thursday 26th October 10.00am - 4.00pm
Location: Hartland area (phone for more details)
Description: Learn how to lay a traditional hedge.
Special requirements: Booking essential.
Event Cost: £10
Telephone: 01237 441976
e-mail: justin.seedhouse@nationaltrust.org.uk
Farm Walk on Historic Domesday Farm
West Yeo Farm (Kate Palmer)
Date Time: Saturday 28th October 2.15 - 5.30 pm
Location: West Yeo Farm, Witheridge
Description: Farm Walk featuring Stewardship scheme work including hedges at all stages of management, dry stone walling, new hedge banks, three new orchards, Culm grassland, river walk, pedigree cattle and rare breeds. Children welcome.
Special requirements: Outdoor clothing and boots. Sorry, no dogs.
Event Cost: £3.50 to include organic Red Ruby beef burger, cake, tea coffee.
Telephone: 01884 861269
Events in Southern Devon
Hedges, stubble and cirl buntings
Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust (Pete Bowyer)
Date Time: Saturday 21st October 10.00am - 12noon
Location: Maidencombe (meet at car park).
Description: Walk around Maidencombe Farm looking at management for farmland birds.
Special requirements: Booking essential. Not suitable for those with limited mobility.
Event Cost: Adults £3.50. Concessions £2.00. Children free.
Telephone: 01803 606035
e-mail: cockington@countryside-trust.org.uk
Landscape Heritage Scheme Free Training
Devon Wildlife Trust (David Leach)
Date Time: Sunday 22nd October 9.00am - 4.00pm
Location: Diptford area (phone for details)
Description: A chance to gain practical skills in restoring and managing hedgerows. Training is free to owners/managers of holdings greater than one acre (excluding garden) within South Hams.
Special requirements: Booking essential.
Event Cost: Free
Telephone: 01392 279244
e-mail: dleach@devonwildlifetrust.org
Cirl Buntings - The Big Three
RSPB (Helene Jessop)
Date Time: Monday 23rd October 9.30am - 12.30pm
Location: Maidencombe (meet in the car park).
Description: Join us on a walk around this Torbay Coast Countryside Trust farm to see how hedges help cirl buntings - and hopefully to see birds.
Special requirements: Bring binoculars if you have them but not essential to enjoy the walk. Booking essential. A degree of independent mobility is essential - as the walk is about one mile over uneven farmland and there are stiles.
Event Cost: Free, but donations to RSPB welcome.
Telephone: 01392 453763
e-mail: helene.jessop@rspb.org.uk
Hedgelaying
Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust (Pete Boyer)
Date Time: Wednesday 25th October 9.30am - 3.30pm
Location: Occombe Farm (meet at farm car park)
Description: Practical hedgelaying for beginners and also to see the progress of previously laid hedges on the farm.
Special requirements: Bookings essential.
Event Cost: Free
Telephone: 01803 606035
e-mail: cockington@countryside-trust.org.uk
Hedgerows of Denbury Hillfort (Guided Walk / Practical Hedgelaying)
Stover Ranger Service (Devon County Council)
Date Time: Friday 27th October 10.00am - 4.00pm
Location: Denbury Hillfort (Meet at Denbury Down Cross)
Description: From 10:00 to 11:30 am explore Denbury Hillfort's ancient hedgerows which are managed and valued for the local breeding farmland birds. This is followed, from 11:30 am to 4.00pm, by an opportunity to take part in traditional hedge management at this historic site.
Special requirements: Please bring your own gloves. Tools will be provided. Advance booking required.
Event Cost: Free
Telephone: 01626 835236
A leaflet giving details of all events is available in libraries and Tourist Information Centres and they are also on the Devon County Council web site at: www.devon.gov.uk/hedges
Notes for Editors:
The Devon Hedge Group is a forum of countryside and conservation organisations and local authorities which work together to promote increased appreciation and understanding of the importance of hedges and their management.
Funding for Devon Hedge Week has been received from Devon County Council with further sponsorship provided by English Nature, Carver Knowles Property Consultants, Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd, Hanson Aggregates, Imerys Minerals Ltd, Midas Homes, Mole Valley farmers (South Molton and Bovey Tracey branches), Silvanus Services Ltd, Wee Tree Nurseries and Western Power Distribution.
For further information please contact Peter Chamberlain on 01392 382257 or Robert Wolton on 01392 889799 who jointly chair the Devon Hedge Group.
