Grants are now available for organisations, businesses and schools to plant, maintain, celebrate and study hedgerows in Cumbria.

Kendal-based charity, the Lake District Foundation has a pot of £5,000 on hand as part of a project called the Real Hedge Fund.

The project, founded in 2020, has seen more than £28,000 awarded and close to 1,000 metres of hedgerows planted.

Sarah Smith, head of impact at the Lake District Foundation said: "In the UK, nearly 6,000 miles of hedgerow is uprooted every year, with less than 1,200 miles replanted.

"While tree planting has gained a lot of attention in recent years, the power of the humble hedgerow is too often overlooked."

Hedges provide homes for small mammals and birds, combat the negative impacts of drought and flooding, curb field run-off, halting pollution entering our lakes and waterways.

Like trees, hedgerows capture carbon, making their planting essential in the fight against climate change.

The charity is on the lookout for applicants who can plant at least 50m of hedgerow on their property and are invested in caring for the new plants in the long term.

Projects that raise awareness and understanding of hedgerows are encouraged.

The deadline for applications is July 3, 2024.

More info is available on lakedistrictfoundation.org/grants.