Celebrate connecting hedgerows during National Hedgerow Week
Hedgerows form the UKs largest wildlife habitat, providing an extensive network across our nation to create sheltered highways, protect our agriculture, bring living edges to our urban environments, and capture our carbon.
This year we are thinking about our ageing population of hedgerow trees, especially in the spectre of ash dieback. Currently, the UKCEH countryside survey has shown that our hedgerow trees are dying out.
The 2007 countryside survey found that 48% of our hedgerows were in good condition, and an increasing portion of hedgerows are not managed and will become lines of trees. Why is this a problem? Managed (cut) hedgerows are more effective than trees at storing carbon and management creates a dense understorey of continuous shrub cover (with the tree canopy above provided by hedgerow trees) which are an important connecting habitat, wind break and stock proof barrier.
Today, hedgerows are increasingly protected and enhanced through BNG statutory requirements, carbon storage and a growing tide of environmental improvement.
At ACD, we specify diverse species rich hedgerows. Hedgerow trees can also be planted into existing hedgerows to improve their condition, either in gaps or into notch cut into the hedgerow. We recognise the benefit of creating a network of hedgerows, linking to an existing hedgerow network. We also guide the restoration of hedgerows on site which are in poor condition, by relaying a hedge to rejuvenate growth to create a continuous hedge.
Here are some hedgerows that the team have appreciated this week!
CEO of Standard Soil, PBC
4wOutstanding!