Hedgerow Management

At a time of increasing concern over climate change and biodiversity decline, hedges offer farmers, crofters and landowners the opportunity to enhance farm natural capital reserves without compromising productive farmland or creating new farm habitats. Creation and management of these important linear features can have a series of important benefits, not simply to farmland biodiversity but also improving livestock productivity, farmland biosecurity and increasing resilience to climate change.

Healthy hedgerow bordering a stubble field

Hedgerows Practical Guide

Healthy hedgerows are truly multifunctional with many benefits, however hedgerows can suffer from both over cutting and neglect. Therefore they require careful maintenance to optimise the benefits gained. Click to read our practical guide. Read more>>

Hedgerow Restoration and Management Video

Maximising the Nature Value of Hedges at Old Leckie

In this video, Fergus Younger of Old Leckie Farm and Sandra Stewart of Farming and Conservation discuss the multitude of benefits hedge planting has brought to Old Leckie. Read more>>

Hedgerow Management - Carbon, Conservation & Compliance

In the series “Hedges – Carbon, Conservation & Compliance” we have developed a range of materials to aid and inform decision making. These materials include Technical Note (TN738), a podcast with countryside manager Nigel Adams, and a video highlighting some of the benefits and important factors to consider when managing farmland hedges

Hedges - Cultivating Cutting and Carbon Capture

As linear landscape features, hedges bring with them an array of benefits, whether it is in the context of climate change, biodiversity decline or improved productivity. However, these benefits are reliant on good overall management. In this podcast, a part of the Hedges – Cultivating, Cutting & Carbon Capture series the Farm Advisory Service (FAS), talks to Nigel Adams, Countryside Management about all things hedges. Topics of discussion include current condition of Britain’s hedges, advice for those looking to establish new hedges, the options for hedgerow management and restoration, the multiple benefits of hedges and some gripping conservation success figures.