R Winspear (rspb-images.com)Good hedgerow management willthe farm, pro - PDF document

R Winspear (rspb-images.com)Good hedgerow management willthe farm, provide habitat for a rangeof birds and mammals, and providespecies throughout the year. Themanagement of those field marginsseparate sheet entitled Arable fieldmargins).The wildlife value of a hedge is affected by its structure and the timing of its management. BENEFITS FOR WILDLIFEHedgerow ARMING FOR WILDLIFE IN WALES GUIDELINES OVERLEAFA variety of boundarytypes provides habitat fora diversity of wildlifeMaintaining a diversity of fieldboundary types around the farmsuits the needs of the widestrange of species. Partridges andyellowhammers prefer shorthedgerows (of under 2 metres)with grass margins. Bullfinchesand song thrushes prefer widehedgerows over 4 metres tall.Many hole-nesting birds can useold hedgerow trees. A dense base protectsnesting birdsin protecting nesting birds frompredation. The only species thatbenefit from gappy hedges arepredators and crows. Old hedgerow trees maybe the richest wildlifeeature on a farmMature and dying trees are homenowhere else on a farm. Becausesuch trees require protection anda long-term plan to replace them. RSPB regd charity no 207076 The main aim of hedgerow management should be to maintain a range of differenttypes and sizes of hedgerow,in order to support a wide margin provides the best cover for nesting birds.unds from Tir Gofal can be have become gappy or been lost and to create the hedges. Some Local grant schemes for hedge trimming are as follows:rim in January or February to avoid the destruction of birds nests (present from March to August) and to allow any berry crop to be used by wintering birds (September to rim on a two- or three-year rotation, rather than annually, to ensure that somewhere on the farm every year, and to boost the berry crop that generally develops on second-year growth.money.If soil or crop conditions require anautumn trimming regime, then it is evenmore important that this should be doneon a two- or three-year rotation. Avoidtrimming all hedges in the same year.ONG-TERM MANAGEMENT BYLAYING OR COPPICINGou are likely to find that trimming willkeep hedgerows in good condition forestoration work is necessary to preventline of trees. Hedgerow restoration can beperformed in the winter by one of thethrough and laying them along thehedgeline) has a less drastic effect onof the landscape, but requiresskilled labour.… Coppicing (cutting the stems atground level) is the best method ofestoration where the hedge is tooovergrown to be laid because thestems are too thick.Both coppicing and laying will reducebirds breeding opportunities in the fewshould therefore be carried out on a long-otation basis. This is preferable tomanaging large sections in one year as itPLANTING UP GAPPY HEDGESUse species that are native to your area.winter, provided the ground is not frozen.The best time is early winter, when theground is warm and some moisture isconjunction with coppicing existing plantsBefore planting, you should ensure thatthe ground is free of vegetation, usingglyphosate if necessary. Alternatively, youcan plant through black polythene tosuppress weeds and reduce moisture loss.spirals or quills to protect young plantsfrom grazing rabbits or deer.PROTECTION FROM FIELDMANAGEMENT PRACTICESNesting birds need a thick hedge base.drift, over-zealous trimming, ploughingAll arable hedgerows should have a grassstrip at least one metre wide between thehedge bank and the crop. Wider marginscan be funded by Tir Gofal and areparticularly important for nesting birdssuch as yellowhammers and whitethroats,as well as for buffering hedges and othernatural habitats from spray drift.MAINTAINING HEDGEROW TREESWhere hedgerow trees are a feature of thehedge, you should plan to replace matureor dead trees by allowing saplings ofRetain old, dying and dead trees wherethese are not a hazard, as they supportused by hole-nesting birds.On arable land, 20-metre set-aside stripswill protect the roots of mature hedgerowtrees from damage during cultivation. Advisory Officer, The RSPB, North WalesOffice, Maes YFfynnon, Penrhosgarnedd,Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DW. Farming and Wildlife Advisory GroupCymru, Ffordd Arran, Dolgellau,Gwynedd LL40 1LW. ust, Fordingbridge,Hampshire SP6 1EF. Countryside Council for Wales, Maes YFfynnon, Penrhosgarnedd,Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DW. Many of these guidelines maybe funded by Tir Gofal, theagri-environment scheme forles. Get further info from:Farming Connect, YLanfa,efechan, Aberystwyth,Ceredigion Many of these guidelines maybe funded by Tir Gofal, theagri-environment scheme forles. Get further info from:Farming Connect, YLanfa,efechan, Aberystwyth,Ceredigion Advisory Officer, The RSPB, North WalesOffice, Maes YFfynnon, Penrhosgarnedd,Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DW. Farming and Wildlife Advisory GroupCymru, Ffordd Arran, Dolgellau,Gwynedd LL40 1LW. ust, Fordingbridge,Hampshire SP6 1EF. Countryside Council for Wales, Maes YFfynnon, Penrhosgarnedd,Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2DW. R Winspear (rspb-images.com)Good hedgerow management willthe farm, provide habitat for a rangeof birds and mammals, and providespecies throughout the year. Themanagement of those field marginsseparate sheet entitled Arable fieldmargins).The wildlife value of a hedge is affected by its structure and the timing of its management. BENEFITS FOR WILDLIFEHedgerow ARMING FOR WILDLIFE IN WALES GUIDELINES OVERLEAFA variety of boundarytypes provides habitat fora diversity of wildlifeMaintaining a diversity of fieldboundary types around the farmsuits the needs of the widestrange of species. Partridges andyellowhammers prefer shorthedgerows (of under 2 metres)with grass margins. Bullfinchesand song thrushes prefer widehedgerows over 4 metres tall.Many hole-nesting birds can useold hedgerow trees. A dense base protectsnesting birdsin protecting nesting birds frompredation. The only species thatbenefit from gappy hedges arepredators and crows. Old hedgerow trees maybe the richest wildlifeeature on a farmMature and dying trees are homenowhere else on a farm. Becausesuch trees require protection anda long-term plan to replace them. RSPB regd charity no 207076 The main aim of hedgerow management should be to maintain a range of differenttypes and sizes of hedgerow,in order to support a wide margin provides the best cover for nesting birds.unds from Tir Gofal can be have become gappy or been lost and to create the hedges. Some Local grant schemes for hedge trimming are as follows:rim in January or February to avoid the destruction of birds nests (present from March to August) and to allow any berry crop to be used by wintering birds (September to rim on a two- or three-year rotation, rather than annually, to ensure that somewhere on the farm every year, and to boost the berry crop that generally develops on second-year growth.money.If soil or crop conditions require anautumn trimming regime, then it is evenmore important that this should be doneon a two- or three-year rotation. Avoidtrimming all hedges in the same year.ONG-TERM MANAGEMENT BYLAYING OR COPPICINGou are likely to find that trimming willkeep hedgerows in good condition forestoration work is necessary to preventline of trees. Hedgerow restoration can beperformed in the winter by one of thethrough and laying them along thehedgeline) has a less drastic effect onof the landscape, but requiresskilled labour.… Coppicing (cutting the stems atground level) is the best method ofestoration where the hedge is tooovergrown to be laid because thestems are too thick.Both coppicing and laying will reducebirds breeding opportunities in the fewshould therefore be carried out on a long-otation basis. This is preferable tomanaging large sections in one year as itPLANTING UP GAPPY HEDGESUse species that are native to your area.winter, provided the ground is not frozen.The best time is early winter, when theground is warm and some moisture isconjunction with coppicing existing plantsBefore planting, you should ensure thatthe ground is free of vegetation, usingglyphosate if necessary. Alternatively, youcan plant through black polythene tosuppress weeds and reduce moisture loss.spirals or quills to protect young plantsfrom grazing rabbits or deer.PROTECTION FROM FIELDMANAGEMENT PRACTICESNesting birds need a thick hedge base.drift, over-zealous trimming, ploughingAll arable hedgerows should have a grassstrip at least one metre wide between thehedge bank and the crop. Wider marginscan be funded by Tir Gofal and areparticularly important for nesting birdssuch as yellowhammers and whitethroats,as well as for buffering hedges and othernatural habitats from spray drift.MAINTAINING HEDGEROW TREESWhere hedgerow trees are a feature of thehedge, you should plan to replace matureor dead trees by allowing saplings ofRetain old, dying and dead trees wherethese are not a hazard, as they supportused by hole-nesting birds.On arable land, 20-metre set-aside stripswill protect the roots of mature hedgerowtrees from damage during cultivation.