Hedgerow Warden & Survey Team

Over 200 metres of hedging planted in 2003/4.  Winner of EDP Community Environmental Award for Norfolk 2003.

BERGH APTON HEDGES GROW ON YOU!

It doesn’t seem that long ago that it was suggested to the Bergh Apton Conservation Trust that we conduct a survey of the hedgerows in the village. It was actually 1998 and since then we have spent two evenings every year on the survey, but last year the evening in June was wet, and hedge surveying in the rain is no fun!  We had already had a pleasant evening in May, however, when 8 of us surveyed 1,620 metres of hedge along Wellbeck Road. That means we have now surveyed an incredible 9, 570 metres of hedge (in 30 metre sections) to date, but there is still many to be looked at. I hold the survey records, which form part of the village archive, and Geoffrey Kelly, the author of the forthcoming history of Bergh Apton, examined them last year. I am told he has included a favourable reference to the survey in the book, praise indeed.

 Every winter the second part of the hedge project is done when BACT aims to replant a section of hedge that the survey has identified as missing. In recent years South Norfolk District Council has given us hedging plants for this purpose, but last year they were unable to do so although we did receive a lot of trees, for which we are very grateful. The hedge-planting programme is such an important part of the work of the Conservation Trust, however, that we decided to spend £250 of our own funds on over 700 hedging plants, guards and canes to continue the planting. The first planting day was the Saturday before Christmas, and although there were only three of us available (clearly everyone else was busy doing Christmas shopping) we did good work, as conditions were perfect being cold but bright sunshine. The planting was done along the footpath between Prospect Place and Cookes Road. We had found a large length of hedge missing when surveying that part of the village in 2003, and we were keen to replant it, as it is the ancient boundary between Thurton and Bergh Apton.

 The next planting day, Saturday 15 January could not have been more different. It was wet. Very wet. However, BACT members are nothing if not tenacious and with three volunteers from Lowestoft College (on a conservation course), and Rolf Lutter (on holiday from Germany) bolstering our numbers there were no fewer than 16 of us working that day. With so many people helping progress was rapid and there was a real “team spirit” despite the rain. Progress was so rapid that we ran out of plants and we thought we would not be able to complete the task. However, someone noticed there were dozens of small blackthorn plants growing on a grass bank near where we were working. The bank was obviously cut every year, so the plants could never mature. We therefore dug these up (there were about 60) and used them to complete the hedge. The hedge we started in December was soon completed and 200 metres of new hedge was planted, plus many trees. In years to come it should grow into an important landscape feature, pleasant for walkers and crucial for wildlife. If you drive towards Norwich from Thurton, look to your left just before you reach Prospect Place and you will see “our” hedge on the horizon.

 Winter is now behind us and summer is approaching fast, so its back to surveying again, and we are always pleased to welcome new faces to all the Conservation Trusts activities. We are hedge surveying on Wednesday 18 May (meet at top of Mill Road at 7.30PM) and Wednesday 6 July (meet at Bergh Apton Church at 7.30PM) so why not come along and give it a go, its important work, great fun, and you don’t have to be an expert (although it does help to have the relevant reference books). If anyone wants to know more about the Hedge Survey or Bergh Apton Conservation Trust’s other activities, please phone me on 480661.

Bob Kerry