How the Woodland Trust’s MOREhedges helped a fourth-generation farmer balance his passion for nature with a successful business

Ben Butler took over the mixed enterprise, combining arable and grassland with raising beef cattle and grazing ewe lambs, in 2014.

For Ben, balancing a profitable working farm while doing his bit for wildlife and conservation is ‘hugely important’.

‘Should we be producing food or giving up farmland to wildlife?’ he asks. 'I think you can do both. We have been producing food on a good scale… but you don’t have to farm right up to the fence line. There is a place for wildlife.

‘Talking to the older generations, they recall boundaries of fields being hedged,’ he says. ‘We felt it would be nice to put it back.’

Ben applied for the Woodland Trust’s MOREhedges scheme in the spring of 2021, with 250m of native hedgerow trees delivered and planted last Christmas, including mix of blackthorn, crab apple, dogwood, dog rose, field maple and hazel interspersed with 50 common oak trees.

‘I couldn’t fault any of the materials, plants or the process. I wouldn’t have a second thought about going back to the Woodland Trust.’

Ben’s long-standing interest in nature-friendly farming had already seen an increase in birds, flora and fauna – and the new planting will further enhance this by providing shelter and corridors for wildlife.

‘Wildlife is a benefit to what we do,’ he says. ‘It’s good for the image of the industry and it’s good for the environment.

‘The hedges act as a corridor, taking wildlife back to the copse rather than just being open landscape. My dad recalls with pride hedges he planted in the early 80s, which are now coming up nicely.’

If, like Ben, you’re looking to create shelter and enhance biodiversity on your farm, the MOREhedges scheme offers the advice and support you need to plant with confidence. With a simple application process and choice of hedgerow mixes, the Woodland Trust can supply the trees and protection — and cover up to 75% of the cost.

Apply now to receive your trees this planting season.

MOREhedges is funded by Lloyds Bank to support sustainable farming.

To find out more about planting your own hedgerow with the MOREhedges scheme, visit www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/plant

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