DEAR EDITOR

It was with great interest that I read last week’s article by Martin Merrick in relation to establishing and maintaining hedgerows and many other related articles over the years in the Irish Farmers Journal.

Farmers are and should be encouraged to plant more native hedgerows and, from my interest and experience, I can see first-hand the benefits it has for the farm and the environment.

Having responsibility for cutting the hedges on my home farm over the last number of years has made me more conscious of hedge-cutting practices generally, as I travel and look beyond our farmgate.

It is clear that in many cases hedges are over-trimmed annually at the same height and width.

Planting and establishing native hedgerows is labour intensive, costly and requires a continuous commitment over a number of years to ensure a successful established hedge.

I believe a much cheaper but parallel approach with planting is to allow, where possible, current hedge stock to increase in physical size.

If a hedge that is maintained at approximately a height of 1.5m and a width of 1m was allowed to grow and maintained at a new height of 2m and a new width of 1.5m wide, it would double the area of the hedgerow on the farm with no cost to the farmer.

A bigger hedge will also have the added benefits of increased animal shelter, provide a better wildlife habitat and a greater chance to flower and produce food for birds, as a result of it being allowed to grow into a more mature plant.

If a farmer did an audit of their current hedge stock that is cut annually, they will, in many instances conclude that allowing the hedge to increase in size will have little or no impact on field margin encroachment or on road safety.

Also with the increased size and height of the modern hedge-cutter and tractor, it is as easy for a farmer or contractor to maintain the hedge at over 2m than it is a smaller hedge.

Carbon

Finally, in relation to our commitment to decarbonising our environment, it is well documented the role that hedgerows have in sequestering carbon, storing it in woody growth, in the roots and in leaf litter. So doubling the size of the hedge, where possible, would accelerate this benefit. It seems clear to me that if this practice was encouraged, it would provide massive environmental benefits in a short number of years with no cost or investment on behalf of the farmer and also a “longer-lasting hedge-cutter”.