FORGET the Great Wall of China – this Oxfordshire farmer wants to plant a hedgerow from Eynsham to Cornwall.

Robert Crocker wants to lay the 200-mile shrub highway all the way to his brother's farm St Gennys.

He hopes to plant the seeds of a revolution in farmyard practice and reverse a decades-long decline in wildlife.

The father-of-four and grandfather-of-four happily admits: "It's meant to be deliberately bonkers and provocative – I want to get people's attention".

The idea all started when Mr Crocker's neighbour, also a farmer, passed away, and he was asked to take over his land.

He said: "This was basically the farm that time forgot.

"There were massive hedges everywhere, it was like going through the wardrobe into Narnia or Jurassic Park – the whole place was just buzzing with wildlife."

Mr Crocker discovered birds and rare plants he had not seen in decades.

The major difference, he realised, was that the hedges had not been touched in years.

He explained: "Hedgerows are a complete habitat, and if you let them grow enough they will be white with blossom in May and red with berries in October, but you need to leave them alone: the flowers are born on last year's growth, so if you cut it every year you will never get fruit."

Farmers have planted hedgerows for centuries to divide their fields and the interweaving of species, each with their own berries and seeds, provides the perfect home for myriad birds, mammals and insects.

But since the second world war, UK farmers have increasingly torn out and cut back hedges to make more room for crops.

The UK State of Nature Report published this month found that more than half of the UK's wild animal and plant species have declined since 1970, and pointed the the finger of blame squarely at intensification of farming practices.

Mr Crocker said: "Hedgerows do need to be cut but they don't need to be cut every year or even every two years.

"The theory is without spending any more money or doing any more work we could help solve the decline."

Mr Crocker is now examining maps so see how feasible the scheme could be, but he has already had calls from farmers in Cornwall who want to get on board.

And he has the backing of Natural England.

Team leader for Bucks and Oxon land management Rebecca Tibbetts said: "I think it's a fantastic idea.

"Hedges are brilliant because they provide such a fantastic wildlife package: they flower in the spring, provide nesting space in the summer and food sources in the autumn – it's a walk-in supermarket for the entire year.

"We should have a hedgerow from Land's End to John O'Groats."