In September 2024, the Brecon Beacons Local Nature Partnership, in collaboration with Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, launched a new funding scheme aimed at supporting local farmers in enhancing the landscape through traditional hedge-laying practices.

The initiative, which focuses on restoring hedgerows, offers farmers the opportunity to lay up to 300 metres of hedge in one of three distinct regional styles: ‘Brecknock’, ‘Carmarthenshire’, or ‘Monmouthshire’. By participating in this scheme, farmers not only contribute to the preservation of a centuries-old rural tradition but also play a vital role in improving local wildlife corridors. The project is designed to strengthen biodiversity, providing habitats for wildlife while maintaining the character and heritage of the region’s rural landscapes.

Hedgerows are incredibly important part of the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park, which is estimated to have 3,500 miles of hedgerows. The traditional art of hedge-laying provides numerous environmental benefits, like wildlife habitat creation and boosting local biodiversity. Additionally, hedge-laying can also increase the overall health and longevity of the hedge, through hedge laying it prevents gaps from forming and keep a continuous boundary that is also beneficial for sheep and cattle.

The scheme proved to be a success, with 19 farms across the region - from Trap in the west to Abergavenny in the east - participating in the initiative. Between October 2024 and February 2025, more than 3,600 metres of hedgerow were laid, further enhancing the landscape and bolstering local wildlife corridors.

One farmer stated the scheme was “inspirational and well facilitated” and that they “very much appreciated the 1-2-1 positive interaction with the park building trust and collaboration.”

The scheme provided over £54,000 in funding to local farms, with grants averaging nearly £3,000 each. This support enabled farmers to restore hedgerows and contribute to wildlife conservation across the region.