It will soon be Nesting Season, and that means the cutting, grubbing, burning or other destruction of “vegetation growing in any hedge or ditch” between 1st March and 31st August is prohibited. But remember, we don’t need to rush to cut back all hedges, many benefit from cutting on rotation every three years. And if you are looking to add some hedgerow, it’s not to late to plant a mixed native hedge supporting biodiversity (with many suppliers selling hedgerow packs) and adding spring flowers and autumn berries to your own land.
“In Ireland, our relatively low cover of native woodland makes our hedgerows exceptionally important for biodiversity. Hedgerows provide botanical diversity as well as food and shelter for animals, most notably birds. They also act as corridors connecting habitats. Untrimmed, thorny hedges are favoured by birds, but birds may nest in any hedge.”*
🐝 Native hedgerows provide food, shelter and a natural corridor for wildlife moving across the countryside. At this time of year our hedgerows will begin flowering, providing a much needed support for our pollinators.
🦔If you do need to cut back your hedgerow, The All Ireland Pollinator Plan has all the guidance you need on rotation cutting to ensure regular blossoms for pollinators and berries for birds and mammals.
“If hedgerows are to be trimmed, cut them on a two or three year cycle in rotation. This will result in there being some areas producing flowers each year.
Where annual cutting is necessary try and cut a few centimetres further out each year (especially for whitethorn) – this will leave a small amount of older wood on which the plant can produce flowers.
Laying should be the preferred option for rejuvenation as laid hedges will continue to flower and provide food for pollinators. Most coppiced hedges will not return to a flowering mode for a number of years.”
🦡 Details on growing and managing hedgerows from the All Ireland Pollinator plan here.
🫐 Support and information from Hedgerows Ireland here.
📻 Or have a listen to this In Your Nature podcast episode on hedgerows here.
📄*Reminder on hedge cutting and the law here.
📷 Annie Spratt, Unsplash & Canva Pro
