From Coracle to Deadhedge

Throughout this project of building the coracle, we have used as few unnatural materials as possible. The great thing about this is that any 'waste' produced, can easily be reused on site with a little bit of innovative thinking. When collecting resources for the coracle, we were also carrying out vital reed bed management conservation - specifically the removing of juvenile trees, bramble, and dead reeds. This process generates a notable mass of material, and whilst we used many of the juvenile trees in the build of our structure, we are left with plenty to use elsewhere. A dead hedge is a great structure to build if in need of a barrier that not only benefits many forms of wildlife (mammals, invertebrates, birds, and more), but also costs nothing and eventually decomposes to return to the earth. The whips are sharpened and converted into posts, which are dug into the ground to form the stakes of the hedge. The collected matter is then used to fill the gaps between the posts, creating a thick hedgerow. Again, this highlights the great versatility of natural resources and benefits of using as few unnatural resources as possible. The construction of a dead hedge is a fantastic way to develop multiple skills, working as a team to plan and design, and then build and shape the new wildlife friendly barrier.