Hedgerow Planting Volunteers

By volunteering you could be part of this national campaign to extend the overall UK hedgerows network by 40% by 2050.

Planting and restoring hedgerows can prevent soil erosion, increase biodiversity by providing wildlife habitat for many species of birds, insects, butterflies and small mammals and can increase the overall aesthetic appeal of a landscape.

About the project

By spending just a few hours planting hedgerows you will be helping to look after our fantastic countryside that may be local to you and ensuring the success of this vital project.

Once you have signed up you will be able to select the dates and times you want to volunteer. The first four planting dates are set for Wednesday 26th November, Sunday 30th November, Wednesday 10th December, and Sunday 14th December. There will be further dates scheduled for early 2026 – watch this space.

We provide out-of-pocket travel expenses should this be required. There is more detail in the role description below regarding the tasks you might get involved with.

Role description

We’re looking to build a small team of local planting volunteers for our Hedgerow Heroes project in North and East Hertfordshire, to enhance the quality of the landscape and grow local community engagement and support for CPRE Hertfordshire.

You’ll join a group of enthusiastic volunteers helping with ground clearance, digging and planting. By volunteering with us you can make a real difference and be part of a friendly and passionate charity.

What you will be doing

• Practical, hands on tasks e.g. clearance, digging, and planting
• Volunteering alongside others as part of a team
• Representing CPRE ‘on the ground’ to the public and passers-by

The skills you need

For this role you need to live in Hertfordshire, ideally in North or East Hertfordshire, and you must be age 16 or over.

You must also have:

• A keen interest in the countryside and the environment
• The ability to undertake moderate physical activity
• Willingness to follow health and safety guidance, including use of tools and personal protective equipment
• A flexible approach to volunteering availability as tasks will be on various days / times
• The ability to make your own way to and from the task site using your own transport

What’s in it for you

• Meet like-minded people and enjoy being part of a team
• Help hedges thrive and grow in your area
• Enhance your CV by developing new skills and gaining valuable experience
• We will provide training and supervision on hedgerow planting and management
• We’ll support you to develop and be safe in your volunteering role and provide you with all relevant health and safety information

How to apply:  please email volunteering@cpreherts.org.uk explaining why you’d like to be involved in this project, and outlining any previous experience you may have in hedgerow planting (this is not essential but is so that we can ensure full training is provided to you).

You may wish to download the role profile, for reference. And you can read more about our hedgerow planting project here.

The Hertfordshire countryside is wonderful – help us to look after it.