Natural England

Healthy hedgerows are the backbone of many of our most loved landscapes and critical to the survival of much our rarest wildlife. Now an alliance of organisations have got together to promote essential hedgerow management with a new film to be launched at the Royal Show today (Friday 4th July).

Press call / photo opportunity
The launch of the new film to Cut Above The Rest will take place at the Royal Show on Friday 4 July at 1.00pm on the Natural England stand (plot 50, 2nd Avenue) Photo opportunities alongside the hedgerows at Natural England’s display ground

To help ensure that hedges are not lost through neglect or over management and that we keep the creative skills needed to look after hedges. Natural England has created a film* that guides people through the complexities of hedgerow management. The film has been created in partnership with the National Hedgelaying Society, the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), the RSPB, the Tree Council and Defra.

Sir Martin Doughty, Chair of Natural England said: “Hedgerows are the service stations of the countryside and play a key role in supporting a wealth of wildlife. Cirl buntings, tree sparrows, dormice and bats are just some of the species that need hedges to nest in or for their food supply.

“They are vital not just for good agriculture, but for much, perhaps most, of our farmland wildlife and our unique landscape. All hedges need management. Neglect leads inevitably, sooner or later, to their loss and this work will help to maintain the quality of our countryside, which is so dependent on the vitality of the hedgerow network.”

Tom Oliver, Head of Rural Policy at CPRE said: “Hedgerows can be described as the green veins of our landscapes – without them our countryside would be barren and monotonous. But many are suffering from neglect, overgrazing or harsh over-cutting. Our new film will help anyone responsible for hedges to keep them in good heart.”

Hedge management expert Nigel Adams of the National Hedgelaying Society said: “Looking after hedges is difficult these days, more difficult than ever before now that they are valued for so many reasons on top of keeping livestock in or out of fields and protecting crops. Making the right choices about when and how to manage them is essential.

Ann Davies, chair of the steering group for the UK’s Hedgerow Biodiversity Action Plan, said: “Hedgelink plays a key role in ensuring that we all work together to ensure the future of hedgerows in the country is strong. We hope it will bring land managers, planners, environmentalists and local communities closer together, to work more effectively to strengthen the UK’s fabulous hedgerow heritage.

Key things to know about hedges:

• There are 506, 000 miles of hedge in the UK, although only about 25% are considered to be in favourable condition.
• The pattern and structure of hedges across the country contributes a great deal to defining the 159 distinct Landscape Character Areas in England.
• Many are well over 1,000 years old, marking parish boundaries and most are over 200 years old.
• All hedgerows mainly made of native species of tree and shrub, are now recognised as a priority habitat within the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. They support an enormous wealth of wildlife, including many rare and declining species.
• Since agri-environment schemes were launched 21 years ago, they have helped restore over 7,000 miles of hedgerows.
• There are various stages in the life cycle of a hedge, from when it is planted or laid, through its growth, to the time when it is next ready for laying or coppicing.
• Laying is the art of cutting part way through stems near their base, and then laying them over close to the ground to re-create a thick and bushy hedgerow.
• Coppicing involves cutting the stems completely off close to the ground, and is usually only used when the stems are too big to be layed.
• Through a careful cutting regime, a hedge can remain in good, stock-proof condition for up to 40 years before it needs to be rejuvenated by laying or coppicing.
• Young hedge trees need to be protected from damage caused by cutting and other management of the hedge. Without this protection for the next generation of trees, the landscape of the UK will change irrevocably.

* A Cut Above The Rest is available as a DVD free from Natural England’s Enquiry Service 0845 600 3078; enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk

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Notes to editors:

1. The film will be launched at the Natural England stand at the Royal Show, at 1.00pm on Friday 4 July. Members of the press are welcome. Please call the Natural England press office for more information on 0845 603 9953.

2. A Cut Above The Rest is the first product of Hedgelink, a newly-named partnership of organisations from across the UK. For more information see www.hedgelink.org.uk. Currently under development, the home page and details about the partnership are already available on this website. The film will be available online in due course.

3. A Cut Above The Rest was produced by the Rural Media Company, with funding from the CPRE, Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs, National Hedgelaying Society, Natural England, RSPB and The Tree Council.

4. Hedgelink has been established to lead and support the conservation of the UK’s hedgerows. As a partnerships of many organizations, its remit covers the farming, wildlife, landscape, historical and cultural importance of hedgerows, with a particular responsibility for delivery of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan for Hedgerows. We identify priorities, influence policy and expenditure, provide advice, and raise awareness and interest in hedgerows. Membership includes environmental departments and agencies, representatives of farming and landowning interests, conservation and research organisations, and practitioners.

5. For further information about the film, contact:
Nigel Adams, National Hedgelaying Society 07985 969350
Rob Wolton, Natural England 07748 112731 /01392 889799
Tom Oliver, CPRE 07818 450 802 / 020 7981 2838

6. For more information about Hedgelink, contact:
Emily Ledder, Natural England, 0113 2303790/ 07884 474544
Jon Stokes, Tree Council, 023 92385095/ 07850 389862
Darren Moorcroft, RSPB 01767 693325
Ann Davies, Defra, 0207 2385993