Hedges vital for wildlife

Anyone travelling the roads at this time of year will inevitably note examples of crude hedge-cutting. And the irony is that local authorities, which should be prime protectors of the environment, are often responsible for this.

We tend to take our hedgerows for granted. Though teeming with wildlife and wild plants, their value to nature and a wide variety of animals is not always appreciated. It is estimated we have about 300,000km of hedgerows; a beautiful and distinctive feature.