This new scheme provides an opportunity for farmers and other landowners to receive financial support to establish and restore traditional field boundaries whilst improving carbon storage in hedgerows.
The scheme is managed by The Bannau Brycheiniog National Park Authority, in partnership with Stump up for Trees and the Woodland Trust and is funded by the Welsh Government Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Places (SLSP) fund.
The project will provide the trees together with a grant contribution towards the cost of fencing to support the planting of new hedges. Gapping up existing hedges and hedge laying will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Interested farmers and land managers should apply using this downloadable form.
For more information or to express an interest in taking part in the scheme, get in touch with us on NatureRecovery@beacons-npa.gov.uk or call 01874 624 437.
Hedgerows are an important feature of the Brecon Beacon’s landscape, demarcating fields, containing livestock, and providing shelter from extreme weather.
These traditional boundaries provide habitat for wildlife and create biological corridors that improve connectivity in the landscape. They provide a source of food for wildlife, store carbon, improve air quality, and help to mitigate the effects of heavy rainfall, slowing down water flows and improving infiltration.
The scheme is designed to benefit both land managers and the environment, as well as the wider rural economy through the creation of work for local contractors. Priority will be given to farmers in the Park and hedges that contribute to landscape connectivity. Successful grantees will be willing to commit to long-term maintenance.
The scheme will run for a period of three years, with the first window now open for applications. The closing date for the first round of applications is November 30th 2022. If we receive more applications than we can fund this year, suitable applicants will be rolled over to 2023/24.