With the closed period for hedge cutting having ended on August 31, the Beef Plan Movement (BPM) has highlighted the need for the government to support the maintenance of these uniquely valuable hedgerows.

Many farmers will focus on trimming hedgerows over the coming weeks and with this in mind, BPM is highlighting several important issues regarding the care and maintenance of hedgerows.

BPM’s Mary Ryan said: “Firstly, we believe the government needs to adopt a proactive approach in addressing the disastrous effects of ash dieback which will potentially wipe out the most populous tree variety in the country.”

According to Ryan, the effects of this disease have taken hold in almost every county in the country, with ash trees losing foliage on their outermost limbs in the first year of infection.

She further explained: “Eventually the tree will lose all its foliage and in most cases the tree dies.”

Ash dieback originated in mainland Europe and was imported into Ireland on infected stock.

Other tree varieties

BPM has said that the government needs to offer funding to farmers to plant other varieties of trees such as sycamore, pine and oak.

“These trees play a huge role in enhancing biodiversity and carbon capture. We need a scheme where farmers are paid for the cost of planting new trees and for their time in doing this vital work,” Ryan continued.

The group would also like to see farmers rewarded for growing and maintaining hedgerows by calculating the amount of carbon they remove from the atmosphere.

Ryan explained:

“They should be allowed to either offset this carbon capture against their emissions, or trade them in the form of carbon credits.”

BPM points to studies that have estimated an average carbon capture of 1.5t of carbon dioxide (C02) per km of hedgerow.

Hedgerows and counting carbon

Ireland has over 400,000km of hedgerows, so with carbon credits reportedly trading at up to €40/t, there could be a potential value generated of €24 million nationally if the carbon capture potential of hedgerows was officially recognised.

Ryan commented: “Up to now farmers were effectively penalised for growing hedgerows, as in many cases the hedgerows area was deducted from the farmers claimed area for the basic payment.

“By giving hedgerows a monetary value farmers would be encouraged to protect existing ones and even plant new hedges.”

 BPM’s environmental committee is calling for fruit trees to be incorporated into hedges to improve biodiversity.

According to the committee, both the blossoms and fruit produced would support bee and bird populations.

“Orchards could also be used to enhance biodiversity. Farmers will, of course, require funding to carry out these actions. We will need support if we are to produce cheap food, enhance biodiversity and tackle climate change,” Ryan concluded.