Thousands of trees creating habitat 'powerhouses'

About 2km (1.2 miles) of new hedgerows and thousands of trees have been planted to create new habitats and boost biodiversity.

Charity Friends of the Lake District said 17,860 new trees were put in the ground by volunteers between November 2025 and March 2026 and a further 3km (1.8 miles) of hedgerows across Cumbria were restored.

The charity said rural skills once used to manage hedges had been slowly lost and they provide natural flood management if cared for properly.

Nature recovery officer Naomi Walker, said: "These strips of trees and grass verges might look unassuming, but they can be home to a wide variety of plant species and biodiversity powerhouses if managed correctly."

Local farmers were involved in the Hedges and Edges project and planting also took place in community spaces such as Kirkby Lonsdale Football Club and St. Peter's Church in Askham.

"It's nice that the people who helped us plant these hedges can go back and watch them grow," Walker said.

The charity plans to plant and restore another 6km (3.7 miles) of hedgerows next winter.