Over the course of the Wildlife Ways project, thousands of trees and millions of bulbs and flowers have been planted across the borough. This month, as the project begins to draw to a close, traditional hedge-laying joins the long list of environmental improvements, giving some much needed love and care to some of Solihull’s hedges – and the wildlife that lives in and around them.
The hedge-laying is taking place on Damson Parkway opposite Solihull Moors FC covering a 325 metre stretch. It will take three weeks with hedge-layers Paul and Danny completing around 25 metres a day depending on the weather conditions.
Solihull Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Planning and Housing, Cllr Andy Mackiewicz, said: “Most modern day hedges are laid using machinery which is much faster, but the traditional, more labour intensive traditional hedge-laying methods are better for restoring wildlife habitats. Our ecologists have opted to use traditional hedge-laying along Damson Parkway on an existing overgrown hedgerow. This will ensure a healthy hedge in the future and allow more light through to ground level flowers and plants.”
The work forms part of the £16.8m Wildlife Ways project, part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to deliver 93 hectares of improved habitat across the borough.