A victory for wildlife. Councils are running out of money for hedge cutting contracts

Run_to_da_hills

It has been reported that several country councils are in dire financial trouble and cannot afford to maintain hedge cutting contracts. What a victory for the birds and the bees.

I never liked these modern tractor mounted slashing machines that indiscriminately annihilate anything in their paths including song birds, mammals, insects etc.

http://www.galwaynews.ie/8016-cash-strapped-council-hasn039t-even-access-hedge-fund

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

One council says it's running short of money!

Anyway. Not cutting hedges at all along roadsides is not necessarily a good thing for birds or other wildlife (or indeed roadd safety for us humans either). Cutting them properly at the right time of year stimulates a growth that is suited to many species, by keeping the planting sufficiently dense to offer protection while access from the less dense non-roadside portions allows small birds and mammals enter and exit.

The slashing type devices on tractors do cause the roadside to look horrific immediately after cutting but the hedgerow usually recovers very well.

Run_to_da_hills

Davina Mealy Minute wrote: »

One council says it's running short of money!

This has also been reported in Co's Clare and Kildare.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055615838

doctor evil

They need to be cut at the right time of year. Assuring that it is the right time is the problem.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

This has also been reported in Co's Clare and Kildare.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055615838

Let's get this staight. Clare & Kildare were criticised on that Commuter thread for not having hedges cut in July. This is because hedges are not to be cut until later in the year. You made the comment that it was reduced funding, without any supporting evidence of such.

If hedges are to be properly managed thay need to be trimmed - just at the right time of year. Of course road safety comes into it as well.

Discodog

It really is very simple, even in a year of strong growth. If you cut just before nesting you don't need to cut again until the season has passed. There may need to be some minimal cutting around road junctions but that involves trimming sides which is less likely to effect birds. As for slashing. It may look ugly but the hedges seem to recover quicker than if they were clean cut.

The big problem is in domestic gardens where the strong growth & desire for a neat hedge means that lots of nests are disturbed. The "ban" that apples to uncultivated land does not apply to gardens.

Jim Martin

My understanding (after having done a bit of hedge-laying work for conservation) is that machine hedge-cutting does not encourage a good dense regrowth - but hedge-laying when done properly, does. Ireland does not seem to have learned this important lesson!

Discodog

Now your are talking !. Hedge laying has all but disappeared. Prince Charles gave it publicity a few years ago by learning how to do it - cleanest pair of gloves & shiny bill hook !. As you have discovered it is very labour intensive which is why it died out.

Years ago during winter, as the bog became too wet, men would clean ditches & lay hedges. Both practices have died out so we have wet land & thin hedges.

However studies have shown that a rough cut stem can grow back better though for some species it can introduce disease. Interesting note for gardeners. The National Rose Gardens compared carefully pruning roses with secateurs against cropping them with a hedge cutter - no difference.

cuddlycavies

Only here in good ol' wickla do we have a council which actually breaks the law with regard to hedge cutting and is broke also as a result off a slight oversight regarding the collection of some €9m in developers levies last year. They're surviving day to day however by using DOE money (given to them to pay housing adaptattion grants for the disabled .€1.2m)to pay the wages.

magicbastarder

Discodog wrote: »

Hedge laying has all but disappeared.

i thought the REPS scheme (albeit hit by budget cutbacks) was responsible for promoting hedge laying over the last few years?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Hedge Laying does indeed still survive but it is totally impractical for established roadside verges.

Jim Martin

Discodog wrote: »

Now your are talking !. Hedge laying has all but disappeared. Prince Charles gave it publicity a few years ago by learning how to do it - cleanest pair of gloves & shiny bill hook !. As you have discovered it is very labour intensive which is why it died out.

Years ago during winter, as the bog became too wet, men would clean ditches & lay hedges. Both practices have died out so we have wet land & thin hedges.

However studies have shown that a rough cut stem can grow back better though for some species it can introduce disease. Interesting note for gardeners. The National Rose Gardens compared carefully pruning roses with secateurs against cropping them with a hedge cutter - no difference.

In my experience, rough cut stems don't grow back with same amount of density as laid ones.

magicbastarder wrote: »

i thought the REPS scheme (albeit hit by budget cutbacks) was responsible for promoting hedge laying over the last few years?

Has anyone seen any evidence of this because I haven't!

Run_to_da_hills

Hopefully an M'bord "Snip" will recommend further cut backs on hedge funding

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Hopefully an M'bord "Snip" will recommend further cut backs on hedge funding

Your cynicism does you no credit.

What about the many environmemtal projects councils are involved with which, would be axed long before roadside verge maintenance which has a road safety factor?

Try to see the larger picture.