Climate change: Use the 'awesome power' of hedgerows to help UK get greener, says report

The 'awesome power' of hedgerows, trees and woodlands can help tackle climate change, say the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).

The countryside charity are asking the government to invest millions of pounds to restore or plant thousands of miles of new hedgerows and expand woodlands and make the UK greener.

"By planting more trees and hedgerows, restoring peatlands and moving towards a more sustainable way of farming, we can use nature's toolbox to capture greenhouse gases from the air," says the Greener, better, faster report.

Last year the government pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions, created by homes, transport, farming and industry, to almost zero by 2050.

Scientists say the gases contribute towards climate change, but say planting more trees, plants and hedgerows would play an important role in sucking CO2 out of the atmosphere.

The government has made promises to plant more trees, but no similar plans have been made for hedgerows.

CPRE want the government to increase the amount of UK hedgerows by at least forty per

Why are hedgerows important?

Not only do hedgerows help capture greenhouse gases, they also create habitats for many species of animals.

Since the 1980s hedgerows have been disappearing. The RSPB say the decline is partly due to, "changes in farming practices," as farms change to produce more food for a growing population.

People now recognise hedgerows as important, with council permission now needed to remove them. The CPRE however want the government to go further. They want the government to increase the amount of UK hedgerows by at least forty per cent, by 2050.

What else does the report say?

The report also calls for peatland - bogs full of wildlife and super soil hat helps nourish plants - to be restored and more investments in solar, wind and hydro power too.

"Some of the best ways to reduce our emissions also make our countryside more resilient, so let's harness the awesome power of our countryside and rural communities to tackle the climate emergency head-on." Said Crispin Truman, chief executive of CPRE.

The group also says all new homes need to meet an eco-friendly standard and produce zero carbon.

How green could the UK be?

The report paints a picture of what the charity think England could look like by 2045.

They say the country could look like this: "Landscapes are thriving, abundant in character and bustling with wildlife. The rich patchwork of fields and hedgerows remains but there is now an enhanced network of natural corridors crisscrossing the countryside, connecting new wilder areas and playing a vital role as nature-based solutions to the climate emergency.

"The network of hedgerows has been enhanced, restored and replanted, with thousands of miles of new hedgerows spanning the country, new wetlands have been created and some areas have been deliberately left to nature, becoming wilder in character." It says.

Do you think hedgerows could help the UK fight climate change? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.