Farmers to plant 5,000km of hedgerows

A MASSIVE 5,000 kilometres of new native Irish hedgerows will be planted in the next few years by 15,000 farmers. A further 2,800km of existing hedgerows will be rejuvenated.

It will be Ireland’s largest hedgerow planting in 200 years and, according to Teagasc — the agriculture authority — it will change the landscape of every parish as farmers participate in the Rural Environment Protection Schemes (REPS).

A national series of Teagasc farm walks, which will begin in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, today, will demonstrate the best planting techniques to ensure vigorous hedgerows that will last the next two centuries.