Certain hedgerows that have become overgrown and no longer perform their function as a livestock-proof barrier or a habitat for wildlife may benefit from coppicing.

Coppicing involves cutting the hedge at the heel and removing the debris to encourage new growth.

Some older hedges that have grown into mature trees should not be coppiced. These trees provide high wildlife value.

They are known as relict hedgerows and should be left alone.

Minor trimming can be carried out if they are causing obstruction, but they should not be topped altogether.

To coppice a hedge, cut the stems as close to the ground as possible.

In GLAS, farmers were advised to cut stems below 15cm.

The litter left after coppicing should be removed to allow light to the stems

A circular saw on a tractor-mounted hedge-cutter is useful for coppicing hedges. A chainsaw can also be used.

It is important to leave a gentle sloping cut to allow water to run off.

Where a hedge-cutter is used, it is advised to start with a rough-cut blade first to cut the heavy material and follow up with a fine-cut blade which leaves a cleaner cut.

Individual mature standard trees within the selected hedgerow ideally should not be coppiced, as they add character to the hedge.

The litter left after coppicing should be removed to allow light to the stems. This litter can be stored in the corner of a field and left to rot.

Alternatively, some farmers burn the vegetative litter.

It is important to check with the local county council to make sure it is legal to burn branches in your county.

The best advice is to contact your local county council and call the fire brigade prior to burning.

Where there are some gaps in the hedge, you might want to consider filling these in with similar species to the existing hedge.

After planting these whips, try to control the vegetation around them to reduce competition.

For the first few years after coppicing, cut the regrowth back to 75mm above previous level of cut, gradually shaping into a triangular shape.

A newly coppiced hedge should also be fenced from livestock to avoid damage to the rejuvenating stems.