Hedgerows Toolkit
All parts of the Toolkit are designed to interact, so you can follow all the steps necessary to design, plant, and successfully sustain hedgerow projects with confidence and efficiency.
A hedgerow is a row—or several rows—of plantings that are designed to complement each other and ultimately weave together in an informal, multi-species hedge.
Hedgerows are defined by groups or rows of trees and shrubs, sometimes with the additions of mixtures of perennial and annual grasses and flowers. Hedgerows are often planted along fence lines or property boundaries as substitutes for fences or privacy screens, to make pasture or field divisions, or along waterways to keep our waterways healthy and clean.
Upcoming Events
We have some great upcoming opportunities for folks interested in learning more about hedgerows as a conservation tool! These will be a mix of hands-on volunteer opportunities, webinars, and farm tours. Keep scrolling for more information and sign up links. We will be updating this page as we finalize more details for each event, so be sure to check back frequently for more updates. All links will open in a new tab!
You can use this form to sign up for any of these events!
Please note that March 21st and 22nd require separate registration at the links listed with their descriptions.
March 21st - Field Day Workshop: Prep Day at Independence Valley Farm
Join us to help prepare our next hedgerow site! This will be a shorter and smaller opportunity to help us organize and train leaders for the installation workshop. If you are wanting to be a group leader on March 22nd, we recommend attending this event! Sign up here.
March 22nd - Field Day Workshop: Installation at Independence Valley Farm
Join us and Thurston Conservation District for a hands-on planting opportunity! We will planting a hedgerow at a local farm in Rochester, WA and are in need of volunteers ready to get their hands dirty. This is an especially good opportunity for those interested in planting their own hedgerow, big or small! Learn more here.April 26th - Demonstration Workshop - Native Seeding with a No-Till Drill
Join us for an up-close look at the ecological and economic advantages of using no-till drill equipment, as we install an herbaceous add-on block to the woody hedgerow planted on March 22. You'll learn how to use Thurston Conservation District’s no-till drill for native seeding and have all your questions answered by the expert team at TCD! Plus, we'll discuss the role of native seeds in hedgerow and other conservation plantings. Hosted by Independence Valley Farm, Rochester.
This piece of equipment is available for Thurston County community members to rent.
May 18th - Hedgerow Irrigation Hands-on Workshop & Installation Demo at Piece by Piece Farm
Join us to learn the pros and cons of different hedgerow irrigation options and gain direct experience with installing a system for the recently planted hedgerow at Piece by Piece Farm in Rochester.
May 22nd - Discover Hedgerows Webinar Series: "Ensuring Success: Monitoring, Maintaining, & Adapting Your Future Hedgerow."
Join us for the 4th webinar in our series, where we discuss the steps you need to take to plan for successfully sustaining your hedgerow over time, including key planning steps to reduce maintenance burdens and how to plan for growth and change.
May 27th - Hedgerow Success Tour at Helsing Junction Farms
This hedgerow was installed in November 2023 to enhance crop production at this Rochester farm. Come see how it's developing and learn about how its initial design is expected to meet the farmers' goals; the budget/costs, required farmers' time, and grants that supported the initial installations; its irrigation system pros & cons; plant survival rates; and lessons learned so far!
June 3rd - Hedgerow Success Tour at Oyster Bay Farm
This hedgerow was installed in March 2024 to protect water quality & enhance wildlife habitat at this Northwest Thurston County farm. Come see how it's developing and learn about how its initial design is expected to meet the farmers' goals; the budget/costs, required farmers' time, and grants that supported the initial installations; its irrigation system pros & cons; plant survival rates; and lessons learned so far!
Hedgerows How-To Handbook
Hedgerows for Rural & Working Lands: A How-to Handbook provides the foundation of the Toolkit. It’s divided into four sections, focusing on practical hands-on advice. The Handbook intersects with the other elements of the Toolkit on this site.
Sortable Plant Table
This sortable, searchable Plant Table lists and provides detailed characteristics of over 75 trees & shrubs to define a hedgerow’s footprint and successfully achieve numerous landscape goals. Use the Table to choose the best plants for your site’s conditions and project goals. (More tables coming in 2023 focusing on herbaceous plants!)
Hedgerow Planting Templates
The Hedgerow Planting Templates provide ready-made planting plans customized for six different hedgerow goals. These ready-to-go templates provide primary options for all the layers of a hedgerow, and offer alternatives in each category so you can mix and match and select the right plants for your space.
Budget Categories & Examples
Budget Categories & Examples will help you understand the various possible cost centers, how to save money, and plan ahead for purchases.
Videos
Explore our growing video lessons to help you maximize your use of the Hedgerows Toolkit and gain more insights into the nuances of hedgerow design and implementation.
Resources
Explore this cornucopia of resources for reaching community partners that can provide technical help, funding, and where to access more how-to background and support. Each of the categories below expands out to numerous resources!
Get Involved
We’ll be offering online and field-based workshops for more learning & hands-on implementation practice! Sign up here to be notified of upcoming learning opportunities!