Hedgerows

Hedgerows have existed as property boundaries and as a means of enclosing livestock since Saxon times. Laying of hedgerows, or "pleaching", was traditionally practised to provide a dense barrier of living wood, whilst hedgerow standards provided a valuable source of timber for firewood. As a rule, older Saxon and Mediaeval hedgerows contain several different species, Victorian hedgerows tend to enclose square field systems and are often composed of single tree species such as hawthorn or blackthorn.

Hedges provide a valuable source of shelter for wildlife and provide an excellent source of food and nectar for many species of insects, mammals and birds. It is always important to let them flower and bear fruit. Generally, the greater the variety of trees and shrubs, the greater the number of invertebrates, mammals and birds the hedge is likely to support.

Hedgerows act as useful corridors for butterflies and moths, allowing them to travel in relative safety from one habitat to another, and provide places for overwintering butterflies to hibernate. Brimstones, for example, will overwinter on ivy, whilst peacocks prefer bark and deadwood. The bulkier and denser a hedge becomes, the more cover and food it will provide for nesting birds.

Today our hedgerows are in serious decline. Since the last war, several factors have led to their destruction. Because of the need to use bigger machinery, the field sizes have increased, destroying valuable sites. Modern livestock production relies on the use of wire and stock fencing rather than the traditional methods.

Speckled Wood butterfly often seen along hedgerows photograph by Leon Truscott

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