The window for hedge-cutting and burning is open from today, September 1, until February 28.
The Wildlife Act 1976 prohibits the cutting, grubbing, burning or destruction of vegetation from March 1, until August 31, each year.
There is provision in the legislation for some restricted exemptions from the prohibition during the closed period, such as for works undertaken in the ordinary course of agriculture or forestry and for public health and safety reasons.
Mayo County Council has issued a call to landowners, farmers and householders to ensure their roadside hedges and overhanging trees are cut and maintained so that motorists, cyclists and pedestrians can travel safely on roads.
Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993 places responsibility for the maintenance of roadside hedges on the owners/occupiers of the adjoining lands.
Be ‘proactive’ with hedge-cutting
Tom Gilligan, director of services with Mayo County Council said:
“While we would like to compliment the many landowners who maintain their roadside hedges, there is also a significant number of landowners/occupiers and householders who fail to cut and maintain their roadside hedges which can result in road safety issues on those roads.
“We are calling on them to be more proactive over the next few months to ensure that their roadside hedges and overhanging trees are maintained properly as they are obliged to do under the law.”
The council added that Japanese knotweed should not be cut.
Tipperary County Council has made a similar appeal to owners and occupiers of land, adding that overhanging branches can cause damage to high-sided vehicles such as ambulances, fire engines and lorries.
Food and shelter for wildlife
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage notes that in Ireland, where there is a relatively low cover of native woodland, hedges are of “exceptional importance in providing food and shelter and habitats and corridors for maintaining wildlife diversity”.
“Wrens, dunnocks, robins, thrushes and willow warblers as well as many rarer species depend greatly on hedgerow habitats,” the NPWS said.
“In general, untrimmed, thorned hedgerows containing shrubs such as blackthorn, whitethorn, holly, briars and brambles are favoured by birds as they provide food, shelter, nesting places and protection from predators during the breeding season.”