There should be an increase in the number of hedgerows in Swindon and Wiltshire after the government has doubled the payments it makes to farmers to create them.

That decision has been welcomed by the Wiltshire branch of the Campaign for the Protection of Rural England.

But the campaign body would still like to see a target of increasing the mileage of hedgerows in the county by 40 per cent by 2050.

Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference, Farming Minister Mark Spencer announced more money for farmers and landowners through both the Countryside Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive schemes.

The subsidy for hedgerow creation increases to £22.97 per metre, compared to £11.60 currently – a rise of 98 per cent - supporting farmers to create new habitats for beneficial insects and birds, in turn reducing the need for pesticides on crops. This also reduces soil erosion, improves drainage, and increases carbon capture.

Mr Spencer said: “As custodians of more than 70 per cent of our countryside, the nation is relying on its farmers to protect our landscapes as well as produce the high-quality food we are known for, and we are increasing payment rates to ensure farmers are not out of pocket for doing the right thing by the environment.

CPRE Wiltshire has welcomed the government's but says boosting hedgerows by 40 per cent would create 25,000 full time equivalent jobs in hedgerow planting and management over the next 30 years in both rural and urban areas and yield almost £4 for every £1 invested.

The campaign’s chairman Anne Henshaw, said: "The humble hedgerow is the unsung hero of our countryside, but we have lost half of them since the end of the Second World War.

"Hedgerows are the vital stitching in the patchwork of our countryside. Not only are they beautiful, with shifting seasonal colours, but they also provide homes and corridors for wildlife. And all the while they help tackle the climate crisis by capturing carbon.

"I encourage everyone from farmers to landowners and local authorities to embrace the humble hedgerow and help rebuild these countryside superhighways.

"Whilst this is welcome news from the government, we cannot rest on our laurels until we have reached the target of a 40 per cent increase by 2050 and reversed some of the damage which the previous decades have wrought on our countryside."