FARMERS in the Lowther and Eden Valley are being encouraged to attend a farm visit and workshop to deepen their understanding of the role and benefits of hedgerows and trees on their farm.

Hosted and funded by Cumbria Connect as part of the Endangered Landscapes & Seascapes Programme, the event will take place on Thursday, November 14 2024 at Abbott Lodge Jersey Ice Cream Farm in Melkinthorpe from 11am to 1pm.

It will focus on the benefits of trees and hedges on your farm, with expert advice from Steve Hebblethwaite of the Woodland Trust and National Hedge-Laying Champion, Peter Gibson. The event will be followed by a hot dinner to enjoy after a morning of valuable insights.

The session will cover the ways hedgerows and trees can support both livestock and wildlife, showing how farmers can increase biodiversity on their land without losing out on food production. It will also cover tips on how best to restore or establish new hedges and trees on your land, including details of funding available.

Hedges, which provide shelter and act as natural barriers, can make a big difference when it comes to animal health and biosecurity by helping with your soils and pest management, not to mention their role in boosting pollination and helping to tackle climate change by storing carbon.

Annabelle Kennedy, Senior Farm and Wildlife Advisor at Cumbria Connect, highlighted the many advantages hedgerows bring to farming: “Hedges are often undervalued, but they offer so much more than just marking a boundary,” she said. “They provide shade for cattle in summer, protect lambs from wind chill and help contribute to livestock health.

Annabelle added that hedgerows also offer financial benefits. Recent research shows that for every £1 invested in planting and maintaining hedges, nearly £4 is returned to the wider economy.

Britain’s hedgerows currently stretch over 435,000 miles, but more than 300,000 miles have been lost since the 1940s due to changes in farming practices. However, the government’s Environmental Improvement Plan aims to create or restore 30,000 miles of hedgerows by 2037, with a further goal of 45,000 miles by 2050.

Annabelle continues: “For farmers, this presents an opportunity not only to support wildlife but to improve their livestock welfare and make their farms more resilient. Whether it’s sheltering livestock, boosting insect populations, or reducing the risk of disease, hedgerows have a key role to play in the future of British farming.”

The event will offer practical advice on planting new hedges, as well as how to get the most out of existing ones. Grants and funding opportunities will also be discussed, helping farmers understand how they can make these improvements without having to shoulder all the costs.

“Farming’s a tough job, and we all know it’s getting harder,” said Kennedy. “But trees and hedges can help in ways we don’t always think about. This workshop will show how to get the most out of them – for your livestock, your land and your business.”

The event is free to attend, but places must be booked by Tuesday 12th November. Farmers from across the Lowther and Eden Valley are welcome.

For more information or to book your place please email Annabelle Kennedy at farming@connectfornature.org.uk