THANKS to the work of almost 4,000 volunteers, Campaign to Protect Rural England’s (CPRE) Hedgerow Heroes project is within touching distance of its target to plant or restore 100 miles of hedgerow to coincide with its centenary in 2026.

In the project’s fifth year, which ran between November 2025 and March 2026, 3,846 people planted a total of 239,683 trees. This represents 33.8 miles of hedgerow planted and restored.

Locally CPRE Avon and Bristol are working to plant and restore 3,000 metres of hedgerow across 10 sites. This includes 18 planting days, 10 hedgelaying sessions, six professional hedgelaying training sessions, four guided walks or talks. In total, at least 100 volunteers from diverse backgrounds are expected to take part by the end of the project. They are working towards their own CPRE Centenary Challenge to complete 10,000 metres of hedgerow.

The recent success brings the total amount of hedgerow created or restored by Hedgerow Heroes since 2021 to 99.8 miles.

Half of the volunteers who took part in the fifth year of Hedgerow Heroes were under 30 years old. Some of the 679 events were specifically aimed at young people. February’s ‘Hedgentines Day’, for example, was a partnership between local CPRE groups in Cheshire, Kent and Hampshire and Young Wilders. 50 young people attended to learn about hedgerows, how to care for them and how to plant them.

Roger Mortlock, chief executive of The Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: “Hedgerows are an essential element of the landscapes we cherish. They not only define our countryside but also act as remarkable carbon stores and natural corridors for wildlife.

“This has been a bumper year, helping us to get closer to our ambitious goal of 100 miles of new and restored hedgerows by the end of our Centenary celebrations.”