Hedgerows

Please tell us what you think about our website, we welcome your feedback.

Customer notice

Due to essential maintenance some of our web services will be unavailable between these times 7pm Friday 25 May and 5pm Sunday 27 May 2012.

Abridged version taken from the Wiltshire Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)

Introduction

Hedgerows are linear land boundaries composed of trees and shrubs. They may be ancient or recent in origin, species-rich or species-poor and include remnant hedgerows. Hedgerows may also contain other features such as hedgebanks, lynchets, ditches and associated hedgerow ground flora.

Importance

Hedgerows provide cover, feeding and breeding sites for many important species. They also act as wildlife corridors linking associated habitats, such as ancient woodland. Features associated with hedgerows, such as wet ditches, banks or hedgerow trees are often extremely important for biodiversity, in their own rights.

Ancient hedgerows are usually the most biologically diverse supporting over 600 species of plants, 1,500 species of insects, 65 species of birds and 20 species of mammals (UK Biodiversity Action Plan).

Extent and distribution

Currently little data exists on the extent and condition of hedgerows in Wiltshire, although a rough estimate of 33,600 km was produced in 1957 for Wiltshire as a whole.

Trends

Since 1945 estimates of hedgerow loss in the UK vary dramatically but it is clear that there have been considerable hedgerow losses during this time. Hedgerow loss will have been reduced significantly by Countryside Stewardship payments for hedgerow planting and management and through the introduction of the 1997 Hedgerow Regulations (as amended).

Key species

• Barbastelle bat
• Bechstein’s bat
• Pipestrelle bat
• Greater horseshoe bat
• Lesser horseshoe bat
• Dormouse
• Great crested newt
• Linnet
• Reed bunting
• Spotted flycatcher
• Tree sparrow

Last updated: 3 April 2009