Nature Corridors 

2024

Though connected, no two hedges are the same. Each provides different conditions due to location, soil type, wind, weather, and as such many different species thrive there. Within one hedge there are also varied micro-climates; an exposed wet side, a warmer dryer side, a windswept top, a sheltered bottom and a cosy inside. 

 

The Environmental Records Centre for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have developed the first detailed map of hedges across Cornwall using LIDAR technology, showing an intricate web that would span over 30,000 miles. These hedges act as a linear nature reserve for flora and fauna, and a pathway connecting species to isolated habitats in a broken landscape. Hedges like these are familiar sight when driving in Cornwall.

 

The first step in saving this habitat is observing and appreciating the Nature Corridors in our areas so we can go on to restore, maintain and create new ones, ensuring biodiversity and connectivity in nature doesn’t also come to an end.