To prevent weeds from adjacent pasture and hay fields from encroaching on the trees and shrubs in our new restoration hedgerow at Broadfields Farm, we will be establishing weed-blocking barriers along the 1,500 ft. linear edge. We will use two methods to create a 3-ft. wide barrier: (1) laying weed-blocking cardboard and woodchip mulch, and (2) laying out heavy-duty reusable geotextile secured with ground staples and sandbags. Come learn and volunteer at an ecological restoration project that supports native wildlife habitat, protects water resources, and provides agricultural benefits for a Thurston County farm. This is also an opportunity to learn more about hedgerows and their positive roles on any site. 

Since the launch of our “Hedgerows Toolkit” in 2023, we’ve partnered with local farmers, Thurston Conservation District, and many other regional and federal funders to implement various demonstration hedgerows. This is combined with learning opportunities for community members, regardless of their interest in the power of hedgerows, to solve a lot of big problems in a comparatively small space.

The hedgerow at Broadfields Farm is a 1,500-foot-long planting strip that uses over 2,500 native trees & shrubs to enhance livestock health, protect waterways, and provide months of blooms, fruits, and cover for wildlife of all sizes. We’ll intersperse hands-on learning with helping bring this immense new planting to fruition.

If you’d like to learn more about Hedgerows, feel free to navigate to our “Hedgerows Toolkit” which was launched in 2023, with funding from Thurston County. This project is being funded by Thurston County, the Washington Conservation Commission, and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.