There is a growing recognition that hedges represent an important and valuable asset on Ireland’s tillage farms.
Moreover, the scope to increase the size of these important landscape features exists in many cases.
But simply allowing existing hedges to grow unfettered for a number of years is not the approach to take: Incremental management will be required.
“Assuming that the existing hedge has a think base, it’s a case of cutting that little bit higher and wider every year,” Teagasc’s Dr. Catherine Keena said.
“Incremental cutting is the way to get from a small box to a larger box.
“Getting an ‘A’ shape into a growing hedge is also relevant,” she added.
“Hedges that have a stump and then a fringe, in other words a toilet brush hedge, need to be brought back to ground level.
“It’s then a case of starting again on the journey up to the desired height and width.”
The Teagasc countryside management specialist recognises that having stock-proof hedges may not be a priority for tillage farmers.
“Inter-sowing into an established hedgerow is a lot more difficult, relative to the establishment of a new hedge,” she said.
“When starting from scratch, the prospect of planting failures becoming an issue is remote.”
Managing hedges on tillage farms
Effective hedge development comes down to one key point: It’s all abut managing plants that want to grow into single, mature trees.
The vast majority of the species populating Irish hedges are genetically primed to want to achieve this outcome.
“If stock-proof cover is not the name of the game, gaps in a hedge do not matter that much,” Keena said.
New Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) regulations will impact on the way that tillage farmers manage their hedges.
According to Keena, the new landscape criteria within GARC are extremely relevant.
“If 100m of a hedge are removed, the farmer must then plant 200m of new hedge, by way of replacement,” she said.
“In the case of farmers looking to establish a field that is more than 5ha in size, specific permission will be required to make this happen.”
“Planting under the ACRES (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme) does not count as a replacement hedge,” Keena added.
Farmers can cut their hedges from September 1, until February 28.
Keena is conscious that hedges are fruit laden during the autumn months.
“Bird nesting is not impacted by hedge cutting that takes place in September. However, hedges containing lots of fruit should be cut later in the year,” she said.
“Obviously, the fruits represent a very valuable winter feeding source for birds and other wildlife.”