Landscape Juice

Hedges link into the biodiversity chain

In August 2007 Landscape Juice reported that the common cuckoo, sparrow and hedgehog had been added to the UK's priority species list as a part of the Biodiversity Action Plan.

And now hedges in all their wonder are on the Priority Habitat List. The website Hedgelink is run by the UK Hedgerow Habitat Action Plan (HAP) Steering group - they have the job to meet the HAP regulations.

I asked Rob Wolton, chairman of Hedgelink, what the main hedge hazards are today? I was a little surprised by his answer:

Calls to change the hedgerow regulations

The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) is calling for changes to the current hedgerow regulations.

The CPRE would like local authorities to be given more power to protect hedgerows by a broadening of the categories and a simplification of process.

This follows survey results that reveal a six per cent fall in the length of England's managed hedgerows, a drop of 26,000 km or 16,150 miles between 1998 and 2007.

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How many gardens have a hedge? How many gardens have trees or high shrubs that need regular maintenance?

I have spent many years touring gardens...the answer is that the majority of gardens have some kind of difficult greenery that needs to be accessed for maintenance.

Over the many years I have been involved in garden maintenance, I have witnessed and even contrived to construct, many contraptions to get up to the right height to cut hedges.

How much does it cost to cut a hedge?

When it comes to hedge cutting there is not a one size fits all - there are tall hedges, wide hedges, hedges that are growing on banks or squeezed between buildings.

Some hedges may have difficult obstructions such as a greenhouse or wall next to them or maybe the hedge borders a busy road or dangerous bend.

Other aspects to take into consideration is the type of hedge. For example, Pyracantha, Berberis or Hawthorn can be vicious with their long spiky thorns, which may slow down the operator both in a practical and safety sense.