Hedgerow Information & Projects
Soil compaction due to agricultural practices, lack of routine land management, and encroachment into wildlife areas have left many road and field edges as barren spaces, mainly occupied by weed species. Such spaces lack the biodiversity to support wildlife, and to provide numerous other ecosystem services. Hedgerows present viable solutions to mitigate these issues.
The SmartScape hedgerow projects promote low-water use, and the use of locally native plant species to create edge borders as wildlife habitats and refuges. Pollination services will be provided to nearby regions due to the plant life and abundant food resources which attract pollinators and other beneficial insects. The hedgerows will also prevent run-off, soil erosion, and combat climate change through carbon sequestration and microclimate regulation services for wildlife. The SmartScape team hopes that the hedgerow projects can successfully demonstrate how to establish native plant species corridors alongside road and farm borders to create a network of green infrastructure which enhances the biodiversity of the local region.
