4 young apprentices showed off their traditional conservation skills at the 25th annual Hedgelaying Competition over the weekend.
Hedgelaying is a traditional method of cutting, bending and fixing live hedge stems to allow them to grow into thick hedges to contain livestock and provide vital habitats for birds and wildlife.
The apprentices debuted in the annual competition as part of 2 Wildlife Trust teams, with 1 team scooping the award for best laid hedge using hand tools and the teams coming third and fourth overall.
Jamie Marsh, Reserves Manager for the Isle of Wight at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust said:
“This was a great chance for our young apprentices to get stuck in and show off the skills and knowledge they’ve learned during their time with us. Despite being new to the competition, they scored well and did us proud!”
