Last week the government announced an ambitious plan to create or restore 30,000 miles of hedgerows a year by 2037, and 45,000-miles of hedgerows a year by 2050 under the new Environmental Improvement Plan 2023.
In July 2021, CPRE, The countryside charity, launched their '40by50' campaign which called on the government to commit to extending the hedgerow network by 40% by 2050.
Richard Fuller MP said:
I am proud to be one of 82 'Hedgerow Heroes' in Parliament as recognised by CPRE The countryside charity.
Almost 50,000 people signed CPRE's petition and like them, I am delighted that Defra's Environment Improvement Plan 2023 that was published last week includes the ambitious hedgerow target to create or restore 30,000 miles of hedgerows a year by 2037, and 45,000-miles of hedgerows a year by 2050.
To become a Hedgerow Hero Richard committed to helping to deliver:
- A national target of 40% increase in hedgerow cover by 2050 to help address the biodiversity and climate emergencies.
- The inclusion of a landscape criterion in the Hedgerows Regulations (1997).
- An ELMS (Environmental Land Management Scheme) that makes healthy hedgerows an attractive option for the agricultural sector.
To find out more about the campaign by CPRE The countryside charity please visit this link. And please click here to see more details on the Environment Improvement Plan 2023.
