Hedgerows

Importance for wildlife

Hedgerows act as wildlife corridors, linking habitats and providing cover for safer movement. A mix of hedgerow types provides habitats for a greater variety of species. For example, some birds prefer hedgerows lower than 2m with grass margins while others birds prefer them wide and over 4m. Hole-nesting birds will make use of old hedgerow trees. Dense cover at the base protects nesting birds from predation. Mature and dying trees provide habitat for invertebrates, fungi and lichens and dead wood provides habitat for stag beetle larvae.

Factors affecting habitat in Suffolk

• Lack of maintenance such as cutting, which allows trees to grow taller and gaps to form.
• Inappropriate cutting regime i.e. too frequently or at the wrong time of year. This leads to a decline in habitat quality, the development of gaps, changes in species composition and loss of biodiversity.
• No replacement of fallen trees, so changing the vegetation composition and reducing habitat diversity.
• Agricultural activity (such as ploughing) too close to hedges and so damaging tree roots; inappropriate ditch management that lowers the surrounding water table.
• Use of herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers close to hedgerows leading to nutrient enrichment and a decline in species diversity.
• Removal of hedgerows for agricultural and building development purposes.

Habitat management advice

• Maintain a range of different types of hedgerows with varying sizes and ages in order to support the widest variety
• of species.
• Maintain hedges with continuous, dense bases and adjacent grass margins to provide cover for nesting birds.
• Maintain any dead wood in the hedgerow bottom (stumps and roots) for stag beetles and other saproxylic insects.
• Cut hedges in October through to February to avoid the bird nesting season. If possible, cut in a mix of January/February (which allows birds to feed on the berry crop in autumn/early winter) and in October which avoids the loss of moth and butterfly eggs.
• Trim hedges on a 2 or 3-year rotation.
• Use agri-environment funding to restore hedges (Higher Level Stewardship, Countryside Stewardship).
• The felling of hedgerow trees may need approval from the Forestry Commission - www.forestry.gov.uk/felling
• Restore losses by replanting locally sourced trees and shrubs (preferably on lines of former hedges) and also look to improve connectivity by planting new hedges. These should include some hedgerow trees which preserve local character e.g. field maple.
• Cut hedges on rotation and no more than once every three years to maximise berry and blossom production. (Ideally cut some hedges on a 3 year rotation, and some on a 2 year rotation.)

Vision for Suffolk

1. Improve knowledge of extent and quality of hedgerows.
2. Maintain the existing extent of hedgerows to ensure no net loss.
3. Re-create hedgerows as opportunities arise.
4. Encourage the restoration and improvement of degraded hedgerows.

Where to find further information

• A Flora of Suffolk. Martin Sanford and Richard Fisk. 2010. D.K. and M.N. Sanford
• Buglife – advice on managing BAP habitats
• Buglife – Notable invertebrates (pdf)
• Farm Wildlife – developed with farmers for farmers
• Hedgelink – Management of hedgerows: information on all aspects of hedgerow management
• Hedgerow Regulations – protects some hedgerows of archaeological, historical, landscape or wildlife value, administered by the Local Planning Authority
• JNCC – Habitat Description (pdf)
• MAGIC website – interactive mapping information including designations
• Making Space for Nature, a Review of England’s Wildlife Sites and Ecological Network 16 Sep 2010. Chaired by Professor Sir John Lawton CBE FRS. Defra website (pdf)
• National Trust – Orford Ness National Nature Reserve Coastal Vegetated Shingle and shingle heath
• Natural Environment White Paper June 2011 – The Natural Choice: securing the value of nature (pdf)
• Suffolk Wildlife Trust – Habitats Explorer

* all the links marked (pdf) have been gathered into an Issuu stack

Images: 

• Springtime hedge and ditch by Emma Aldous
• Grass Snake by Neil Rolph (Flickr)
• Corn Bunting by Neil Rolph (Flickr)
• Horehound Long-horn Moth by Martin Cooper (Flickr)