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 three great upcoming opportunities for folks interested in learning more about hedgerows as a conservation tool! The first is a webinar while the second and third opportunities are action based volunteer learning events. Keep scrolling for more information and sign up links.
October 23rd - Discover Hedgerows Webinar Series Part 3: “Diving into the Planting Plan”
Join us while we build on lessons learned in the first two installments of our webinar series, which can be found below by scrolling to the “Videos” tab. You can see details about this webinar and sign up to receive the Zoom link here.November 10th - Field Day Workshop: Hedgerows Installation at Piece by Piece Farm
Join in this hands-on learning experience while installing a 640-ft long x 15-ft wide hedgerow in a farm field where Piece by Piece Farm grows a bounty of organic produce for our region. Visit this link to learn more.November 8th - Field Day Workshop: Hedgerows Prep Day at Piece by Piece Farm
We need a few volunteers to help us prep for the big planting day! Please note that this does not involve any hedgerow installation. This is day is focused on organizing, labeling, and preparing the plants for the main November 10th workshop and has a separate sign up form. See more details by clicking here.
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!