Devon Hedge Awards

The Devon Hedge Award- a new award with a different theme each year

2020 Theme: New Hedges.  Recognising the Value of New Hedges in Our Devon Landscape

You can apply for a Devon Hedge Award in 2020 if you have created a new hedge in the last 5 years. This year the Award is about saying thank you to people who are working hard to create new hedges within Devon’s countryside and gardens.  You will receive an award plaque to proudly display on your gate, wall or door and a certificate.

To enter for an award in 2020, you will need to download and complete the entry form below and then submit it with (up to 4) photographs.  The closing date for entries is 31st December 2020.

Devon Hedge Awards Entry Form

If you are thinking about planting a new hedge, there’s all the information you need on our website. You’ll have future opportunities to receive a Good Hedge Award and be doing something good for Devon’s natural landscape.

New Devon hedges are hugely worthwhile for all sorts of reasons: as a wildlife habitat, to enhance the landscape, to restore historical field patterns and to bring more wildlife into our gardens and public green spaces. They are also an excellent way of establishing new hedgerow trees.

Hedges are also good for our climate and provide many benefits to us. In addition to their immense value as wildlife habitat and practical farming uses, they can, for example, help keep the waters of our rivers clean, prevent floods, store carbon and provide fruits. In our towns and cities, they help to keep the air pure and provide screens and improve our health and wellbeing.

More information about this can be found throughout this website. See for example these resources:

Entry Form

    To enter for an award in 2020, you will need to meet at least 6 of the criteria below, with at least one from each of the four groups.

    Group 1: Location
    Follows historic hedge-linesLinks existing hedges or other wildlife habitats to provide connectivityDivides a large field, park, garden etc.Parallel to an existing hedge to create a green laneReplaces a wire, wooden or other fence

    Group 2: Choice of Shrubs and Trees
    Reflects local landscape characterContains mainly native speciesAttractive, lifting the spirits of all who see itNectar, seeds, nuts and berries available throughout much of the yearSome trees to be allowed to grow to maturity spaced along the new hedge

    Group 3: Structure
    Includes a bank. If stone-faced, uses local stone in the local styleHerbaceous flowers encouraged in margins and bank sides (simply allow native ones to grow in rural locations, and encourage nectar-bearing plants in urban areas)The new hedge is the same ‘style’ as existing hedges in the surrounding area.Planted to capture and store carbon in soil and woody growthAt least 2m wide, including any herbaceous margins

    Group 4: Management Intentions
    Hedge plants and standard trees looked after well to ensure good establishmentHedge allowed to become thick and bushy, to encourage a range of nesting birds, dormice and other wildlifeAvoid use of pesticides to prevent harm to insects including pollinatorsCareful trimming to allow the hedge plants to flower and fruit, so providing nectar and also good crops of berries, seeds and nuts.New hedge protected from browsing animals during establishment

    About your hedge
    Tell us about your hedge-(up to 500 words, including when you made it, how you made it, how you manage it and the benefits the hedge provides).Please send photographs of your hedge.

    Photos
    Please include up to four (4) photos. Please upload only image files up to a maximum of 1MB each. If your images are too big, you can resize them, for example with an online service such as picresize.com.

    Photo 1:

    Photo 2:

    Photo 3:

    Photo 4:

    Your Permissions

    Can we use your comments and photos to inspire others in our social media?
    YesNo

    Can we give your name and approx. location of your new hedge in social media news about the Devon Hedge Award?
    YesNo

    Are you happy for us to locate your hedge on a low-resolution map - postcode only?
    YesNo

    Would you like to receive further updates on Devon's hedges?
    YesNo

    I would like Devon Hedge Group to keep in touch with me by email
    YesNo

    I would like Devon Hedge Group to keep in touch with me by telephone
    YesNo

    I would like Devon Hedge Group to keep in touch with me by post (no more than every 6 months)
    YesNo

    We would love to keep in touch with you to share the latest Devon Hedge Group news; opportunities to get involved through our projects, events, volunteering, appeals, and campaigns; information about our products and services, and to let you know the impact your support is having on Devon’s hedges

    If you would like to receive your award plaque and certificate, please compete the address details below. We will not use this information for anything else unless you opt-in to Devon Hedge Group communications above

    Your details

    Please submit your form by 31 December 2020. GOOD LUCK!