About the event

A course for community groups, parish councils and community activists looking to optimise their local hedgerows for wildlife or plant new hedges in the community. Led by Simon Hooton, long-time conservationist and Volunteer Conservation Adviser with Suffolk Wildlife Trust.

Although a plan and timetable for the day has been created, every effort will be made to identify and cover particular examples and issues that participants bring to the day and so course content may vary slightly.

An indoor session will explore the history of hedges and how to date them; the typical hedge-dwelling species as well as why & how the wider range of plants, birds and animals such as hedgehogs, song-birds, dormice & pollinators rely on hedges to thrive. We will seek to cover native hedging plants and the best species to plant for the location and soil type; management techniques to employ to make the most of the hedging; and how adjoining habitats can add value.  We will briefly look at Hedgerow protection and awareness of protected species and touch on volunteer management and safety.  We will consider how to engage with the community and build enthusiasm so the hedges remain cared for over time.

After the indoor session we will take a walk the various hedgerows in and around Old Hall to identify typical hedgerow species in different stages of growth and the best management approaches. We will also discuss planting options and issues and the possible strengths and limitations of volunteers.   

A brief indoor session will end the day to summarise learning and undertake some evaluation ensuring the course will be completed by 4pm.

Tea and coffee will be provided. Please feel free to bring your own re-usable mug, or a flask.

You will also need:
A packed lunch
Notepad and pen 
A camera or binoculars if you wish

Please dress suitably for the weather and for walking around Old Hall in the afternoon.

We are grateful to the community at Old Hall for making this course possible in this beautiful location and for their support in sharing best practice and community engagement.

When booking please ensure your email/contact address is correct as it will be used to send event joining instructions. If you do not receive these instructions after booking, please contact: wild.learning@suffolkwildlifetrust.org

Please note that your booking is non-refundable and non-transferable and we run all our courses based on a minimum number of participants. You can find our full Terms & Conditions via this link:  https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/wildlearninginfo

This is the first in a series of new Community Wildlife Courses arranged by Suffolk Wildlife Trust to support communities, parish councils and churches in optimising the habitat for wildlife in their local public spaces. Topics in the programme include:
Wildlife in your Parish
Understanding your community's river
Community Ponds for wildlife
Community meadows
Churchyard management 
Understanding your Community's habitat
Community Hedges for Wildlife
Community Trees & Woodland for Wildlife

To find all our courses as they are launched you can visit our Adult Learning page here: www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/wildlearning

If the course you wish to attend is full or you cannot make the date, please let us know so that we can register your interest and let you know of opportunities planned for the future. You can contact us on: team.wilder@suffolkwildlifetrust.org or Tel: 01473 890 089.

If you are a community or individual already taking action for wildlife, please do tell us about it and get involved with Team Wilder. To find out more and log your action, visit the website here: https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/team-wilder