Why are hedgerows important

Mixed species planting can offer a diverse array of forage, with different food options becoming available at different times throughout the year, offering a more stable array of resources. This can have directly beneficial effects in terms of farmland production, through improvements to crop pollination rate or the natural control of pest species.

To further improve resource availability, management such as hedge cutting should also be undertaken sympathetically. Autumn hedge trimming can remove berry resources and reduce the potential for forage in the winter months, with negative consequences for over-wintering bird species. This could be avoided by delaying cutting regimes until February to March , by which time the berry crop has been utilised and naturally depleted. At a landscape scale, increasing the resource of hedgerows and woodland patches potentially improves the connectivity between patches of formerly continuous habitat.

Habitat connectivity is necessary in terms of biodiversity by linking habitat patches and allowing the movement of species which may otherwise become isolated and vulnerable to decline. Hedgerows can act as corridors along which wildlife can move, reducing the effects of habitat fragmentation and isolation.

This is an important concept in the context of climate change where losses of habitat connectivity could result in barriers to movement, impeding the dispersal of species which need to move typically northwards as the climate changes.

Overall, the provision of trees and hedgerows can deliver numerous benefits economically, ecologically and environmentally. Agri-ecosystems are expected to be subject to significant environmental change in the coming years and decades. There are strong economic arguments for increasing the presence and availability of hedgerows and tree resources, in the form of shelterbelts and patches of woodland, which could increase ecosystem service provision and reduce the effects of climate change at the same time.

This will consequently facilitate a self serving outcome of reducing current environmental impact, which is expected to have significant impact on UK agriculture in the coming years. Through tree and hedge planting, land managers have an opportunity to exploit a simple and affordable way to future proof landscapes against shifts in weather and climate, such as increased precipitation, and by doing so lessen the environmental impacts of tomorrow whilst profiting from economic gains in real terms today.

The diverse range of plant life in hedges can also help combat climate change by storing carbon in their vegetation. Another reason hedgerows are a vital tool in the fight to slow down climate change is that healthier soils store more carbon. The impacts of erosion on unhealthy soils means that they can quickly become a source of carbon dioxide emissions, so by maintaining good root structures and covering the land through hedges and tree, farmers can help develop stronger, more fertile soils.

In urban and residential areas too, they provide a safe habitat for wildlife to nest, breed, hibernate and travel, and offer a crucial food source in months of scarcity. Different hedge sizes, types and features are of value to different species, so to optimise your hedges for wildlife, make sure you have a varied character along their length, to attract a wider range of wildlife. A good shrub layer and growth at the base is of great benefit to many species including hedgehogs, amphibians and reptiles.

When choosing varieties to plant as hedgerows, native plant species are important for attracting UK wildlife. Make sure not to take more than you need, leaving plenty for your nature-based neighbours. Whilst many hedgerows are protected by law , the activity that occurs around them is having a big impact.

Intensive farming practices, and pesticide use in particular, are named as some of the leading drivers of these declines. Biological control is a service provided by species of farmland birds and predatory invertebrates, such as spiders and predatory beetles, as these groups feed on, and therefore limit the populations of, pest species. Bees and other pollinators depend on forage throughout the year including when crops are not in flower A sustainable source of wood fuel Hedges and hedgerow trees can provide sustainable wood fuel if managed correctly.

Pollarding is a traditional management of trees that can provide both wood fuel and animal fodder. Wildlife-friendly farms have reduced risk of bTB in cattle herds Hedgerows appear to be a key factor for improved biosecurity.

Hedgerow availability, width and continuity has also shown to be to be more important than badger abundance in affecting bTB incidence. More height is required here for bird nesting. Scenic appearance - Characteristic Irish hedgerow, enhancing the countryside. As a wildlife habitat, hedgerows provide food, shelter, corridors of movement, nest and hibernation sites for many of our native flora and fauna:.

Hedgerow trees — Mature trees provide roosts for bats, while saplings just above the height of the hedgerow are important perching posts for birds.

Birds — Of the species regularly recorded in the Countryside Bird Survey in Ireland during the breeding season, 55 use hedgerows. Of these, 35 nest in hedgerows over 1.

Cover — Hedgerows with a dense base provide cover for small birds and mammals, such as the hedgehog.