Help available for hedgerows and dry stone walls in the North York Moors

Grants of up to £5,000 are on offer in the North York Moors National Park for the creation and enhancement of hedgerows and the repair of dry stone walls.

The Traditional Boundary Fund, which is now open for applications for 2023, is designed to help land managers restore and enhance these essential features of the countryside.

From containing livestock to providing a habitat for wildlife, both hedges and dry stone walls form an important part of the landscape and character of the North York Moors.

Elspeth Ingleby, Senior Ecologist at the National Park Authority, explained:

“Hedgerows provide a home, corridor and important food-source for birds and wild pollinators, but they also help prevent soil erosion, capture and store carbon, reduce flood risk and lessen the amount of pollutants that enter rivers. And while dry stone walls might not seem like an obvious haven for wildlife, their nooks and crannies provide ideal microclimates for a wide range of plants and animals including insects, amphibians, reptiles and small mammals.”

The Traditional Boundary Fund (TBF) is aimed at boundaries in the North York Moors that aren’t already in receipt of funding from other sources and priority is given to boundaries with high visibility and historic or environmental interest. The grants can be used to restore hedgerows using traditional methods such as laying and coppicing, as well as for planting new hedges and the repair or restoration of drystone walls.

Land Managers looking at carrying out larger scale boundary works are also encouraged to contact the National Park Authority to discuss the potential for separate, stand-alone projects.

For more information and application forms for the Traditional Boundary Fund, please visit northyorkmoors.org.uk/tbf, or email tbf@northyorkmoors.org.uk. The same email address can be used to enquire about larger projects.

The application window for the Traditional Boundary Fund for 2023 closes on 31 May.