You’ll spot hedgerows all around the country, from your front or back garden to bordering the countryside, but did you know they play a vital part in climate change, urban air pollution and biodiversity loss? It’s National Hedgerow Week (May 29th to June 6th 2021), and we’ve teamed up with The Tree Council to bring you some wonderful insight into the importance of hedgerows, how we benefit from them and how we can all do our part to make them thrive.
Hedgerow Facts Everyone Needs To Know
- Hedges are brilliant at capturing carbon – annually, a new hedgerow can absorb the carbon produced by a car travelling over 1,000 kilometres
- Due to their presence at the level of pedestrians, hedgerows are natural barriers to harmful air pollution in our streets
- Hedgerows are the UK’s largest priority habitat – and are home to 80% of our woodland birds
- 50% of UK hedgerows have been lost since WWII, and of those that remain, 60% are badly-managed
- The Climate Change Committee has advised that the UK needs to plant 200,000km of new hedgerows if it is to meet our 2050 net-zero target – that is the equivalent in length of half the UK road network
- Healthy hedgerows are essential habitats for UK biodiversity, supporting over 2,000 species, including the hedgehog and several European Protected Species, notably the dormouse, most species of bat, the great-crested newt and many more.
What can you do to help?
Caring for hedgerows is a real way that we can help tackle climate change and biodiversity loss today, so getting everyone involved in any way they can is a great first step.
- Let your hedges grow bigger and for longer. If you have a hedge then try letting it grow an extra foot, it supercharges your hedge’s ability to capture carbon and air pollution too. When you do cut it back, don’t cut to the same place each time. Allowing an extra four inches each year will help blossom in spring and berries in autumn to form on last year’s growth. It’s illegal to cut hedges if the action damages active bird nests, so it’s best to cut it in winter from November to February, outside the bird nesting season.
-
Plant a Hedgerow. For those of you who have a garden and don’t already have a hedgerow, then you can plant one. It’s fine alongside an existing fence or railings. Plant a mix of native shrubs and trees for biodiversity benefits, nature loves a good selection. Hawthorn, hazel, dogwood, guelder rose, beech and yew are just a few of the wonderful species that are attractive in any garden and encourages wildlife. If everyone planted or pledge 3 metres of hedgerow, we’d smash our national hedgerow targets.
- Love the messy bottoms of the hedgerow. The bottom part of the hedge is a haven for wildlife – don’t clear it of those lovely old leaves and wild plants that pop up there. But if you do see any litter in a hedgerow, then take a second to pick it out and dispose of it, recycling where possible. Rubbish causes problems for the wildlife living in the hedge and gives hedges a bad name.
- Support the campaign. Join in on social media using the hashtags #NationalHedgerowWeek and #TalkToTheHedge to help raise awareness of the importance of hedgerows and what we can all do to help. Visit: https://hedgelink.org.uk/campaign/national-hedgerow-week/ to find out more.