A group from civil and structural engineering firm Clegg recently took part in a Wild Work Day at our Langford Lakes, braving the damp and rather muddy conditions to lay the foundations of a dead hedge on the reserve.
Clegg Associates Help Create Dead Hedge on their Wild Work Day
An enthusiastic team from Clegg Associates braved a damp day at Langford Lakes to help build a dead hedge on their Wild Work Day.
Clegg team members carry wooden poles to create structure for dead hedge.
Working with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust’s South Estates Officer, Andy Dunn, the team from Clegg set to work cutting and moving large amounts of woody material. They then drove wooden posts into the ground to set the structure for the dead hedge, before stacking the hedge using the woody material.
Clegg team members drive wooden poles into the ground to set the structure for the dead hedge.
Philip Jenkins, Senior Technician at Clegg described the experience:
“Despite the rain, Clegg staff had a rewarding experience for our Wild Work Day at Langford Lakes, assisting in building a dead hedge. The team gathered branches and logs to create a natural barrier, providing vital shelter for local wildlife. Despite the weather, the spirits were high, thanks in part to the excellent staff from the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. Their knowledge and expertise were invaluable, offering insightful guidance on the importance of the project for conservation. The day was not only productive but also educational, with the team gaining a deeper understanding of the role such habitats play in supporting the local ecosystem.”
Clegg team members with their dead hedge.
The work that was begun by the team from Clegg was finished by the Trust’s Water Team, who gave their time to help complete the hedge ready for nesting birds to take up residence.
A big thank you to Clegg Associates, along with our Wiltshire Wildlife team for their efforts!
Finished dead hedge at Langford Lakes.
What is a dead hedge?
A dead hedge doubles as a habitat for nesting birds and as the perfect barrier between the path and the lakeside, allowing nesting birds to breed undisturbed and the public to stay safe. A dead hedge is essentially a stack of dead cut material, with the height and width determined by how far apart you install posts. These posts are driven into the ground every meter or so and hold the material in place and stop it from pouring over the sides and looking untidy.
Where did the materials come from?
The work was driven by the need to open up the lakeside edges on Long Pond at Langford Lakes. Most of our lake edges on the reserve are mature scrub or deadwood in the water, which is great for many things, but discourages the growth of lakeside vegetation such as reed, sedges etc. Lakeside vegetation is lacking onsite at Langford compared to scrub margins, but is the perfect cover or breeding space for many important bird species, and is also used as cover for invertebrates/juvenile fish/amphibians. So, we decided to open up a section of the lakeside to encourage the nearby vegetation to spread.
Once the areas were cut, we were left with a large amount of woody material. We cannot just leave in situ as it would impede the spread of lakeside vegetation. We could have made scrub piles (also known as habitat piles), but these can be large and unsightly, and encourage the nesting of stoats, rats and other predators. Hence the decision was made to create a dead hedge that would make use of the cut materials and create vital habitat for nesting birds.
