LeftHand Land Management provides conservation hedgelaying and practical hedge restoration for farms, estates, smallholdings and habitat projects across the South West.
Based in Dorset and working across Devon, Somerset, Cornwall, Wiltshire and the surrounding counties, we restore overgrown, neglected and gappy hedgerows to create dense living boundaries that support wildlife, shelter livestock and remain useful within the farmed landscape.
Hedgerows as working landscape infrastructure
A well-managed hedgerow is more than a boundary. It can provide shelter, stock control, browse, wildlife corridors, nesting habitat and future hedgerow trees. When a hedge becomes tall, thin at the base or increasingly gappy, laying can return living growth to ground level and begin a new management cycle without replacing the entire feature.
Our approach is conservation-led and practical. The aim is not simply to produce a decorative finish. We retain useful living structure, work with the character and condition of the existing hedge, and consider how it will be managed after the initial restoration.
Hedgelaying and restoration services
· Conservation hedgelaying and hedge laying
· Restoration of neglected, overgrown and gappy hedges
· Gap planting and replacement of failed plants
· Selective coppicing and clearance where required
· Hedgerow-tree establishment and protection
· Stakes, guards and livestock or wildlife protection
· Establishment maintenance and future management planning
A practical approach to each site
Every hedge is different. Species, age, previous cutting, bank structure, access, stock pressure and the intended future use all affect the work. We begin by discussing the condition of the hedge, the length involved, access and the outcome you need. Where appropriate, the work can be phased across more than one winter so that restoration remains manageable and fits the wider farm or estate programme.
LeftHand can deliver directly for landowners or work from a specification prepared by an ecologist, farm adviser, land agent or landscape professional. Associated planting, guards and early maintenance can be included so responsibility does not end when the laying is complete.
Who we work with
Our hedgerow work is suitable for farms, estates, smallholdings, conservation organisations, rural businesses, community landowners and habitat projects. We are particularly interested in hedges that need to return to productive management while improving their value for wildlife.
Let’s Work Together
If you're interested in working with us, complete the form with a few details about your project. We'll review your message and get back to you within 48 hours.