Excuse my language but WTF have they been doing to the hedgerows? It’s Armageddon out there. Except that Armageddon is defined as the last battle between good and evil before the Day of Judgement, and if the hedgerows represent Good and the machines shredding them represent Evil – then it’s not much of a battle. Frankly nobody seems to be fighting on the side of Good.
You may not have noticed it if you live in town, but out here in the countryside an army of chomping, shredding and chipping machines were sent out to cut the trees and shrubs growing on the hedgerows down to little nubs. I know I sound a bit hysterical, but the level of destruction is really upsetting. There is hardly a tree with a trunk wider than half a foot left. The shrubs have been cut back so much that they have practically disappeared on certain roads. There is hardly a big tree left lining our roads. Yesterday as I came into Bandon, I noticed that several bigish trees, about two feet in diameter, had been cut down. The trunks were being chipped on the spot. Further along was a big blank bit where a row of firs had always stood. Sad piles of wood chip marked the spot. Up and down the roads of West Cork banks of big trees have been cut down, changing the landscape in a shocking way.
Section 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976 prohibits the “cutting, grubbing, burning or other destruction of vegetation growing on “any land not then cultivated” between March 1 and August 31 annually. This is to protect bird life during the nesting season, to help prevent forest fires, and to protect vegetation and wildlife habitats during the months of growth and reproduction.”
Fair enough, but if the hedgerows are basically ripped out and fed to a chipper, where is the wildlife going to build their nests? Perched on the top of a bare wall? In addition, the hedgerows are populated with hawthorn, blackthorn, elders and brambles (and a tiny number of crab apple and damson). All which provide not only nesting, but shade, roosting, and an abundance of berries to feed the local wildlife. Not to mention foragers like me who make sloe gin, elderflower cordial, blackberry and apple crumble and damson jam.
Hedgerows are not just handy for nesting birds. They are important in many respects. They sequester carbon, provide wildlife habitat, control flooding, and improve water quality. According to Hedgerows Ireland, hedgerow and non-forest woodlands have the potential to sequester 0.66–3.3 t CO2/ha/year (EPA, 2014). The removal of hedgerows reduces the soil organic carbon storage capacity and releases carbon into the air due to soil compaction and disturbance, particularly when heavy machinery is used.
The Countryside Bird Survey reported that 55 of 110 regularly recorded bird species use hedgerows, with 35 of these using larger hedgerows (1.4m high and 1.2m wide) as nest sites (Teagasc, 2022). And it’s not just birds. Mature hollow trees provide roosts for bats. The dense base provides safe hideouts for small mammals, such as hedgehogs. Hedgerows also facilitate greater insect abundance. This in turn further attracts bird species.
Hedgerows also help to prevent flooding during heavy rainfall events because of their dense vegetation base and less compacted soil. This helps to slow water movement and allows the excess flow to infiltrate and percolate into the soil. The increased infiltration and percolation improves our freshwater quality.
Hedgerows are also important for another reason – they are beautiful. They define the landscape in West Cork. They are a daily reflection of the seasons. They provide beauty and surprises around every bend no matter the season, or the weather. I have always loved driving along the back roads. The joys are not just in manoeuvring around the windy bits and marvelling at the views. The big plus has always been the hedgerows. The joy of seeing the first daffs. The delight of a bank of primroses. The glory of the hawthorns – popcorn white in Spring, and berry red in Autumn. The beautiful, dappled light of high summer when the trees are in full leaf. And, of course, the wildlife: foxes, badgers, buzzards, stoats, herons and all manner of small birds are generally spotted alongside a nice bushy hedgerow. Thank goodness cutting will stop on March 1. We have six months to figure out how to stop this Armageddon before it starts again.
