Volunteers from Porton and Wiltshire Wildlife Trust's Martin Gilchrist (third from left) and Nicky Warden (crouching, right) help restore the Jubilee Walk hedgerow. 27/1/5VILLAGERS in Porton had the chance to learn the craft of traditional hedge-laying, when Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and Idmiston parish council teamed up on Saturday to improve the village's Jubilee Walk.
An ancient hedge at one end of the walk and bordering Winterslow Road was in need of restoration, so the council called in the trust's Martin Gilchrist and Nicky Warden.
Helped by nearly a dozen volunteers from the village, the pair set about removing the undergrowth, cutting back dead wood and laying the hedge in the traditional way.
Mr Gilchrist said: "Ancient hedges will turn into something that is not attractive to look at or good for wildlife unless they are managed. This hedge had reached that point.
"It needed cutting back, clearing out and then relaying as traditional field boundaries used to be.
"This will improve not only the landscape and appearance for local people but also wildlife habitat."
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