Flailing hedges - Is end of March too late?

[werdnal]

Seen several areas of freshly flailed hedges around here this week. Actually saw the council doing one section yesterday, and the farmer behind us usually leaves it to the last minute, so no doubt he'll be down here in the next couple of weeks doing his. Am I right in thinking there is a cut off date of 31 March? With so many birds nesting earlier (OK spring is a little late this year after all the snow), is it time to bring the date forward to say end of Feb?

Any thoughts please?

[SAHop]

The trees and hedges in northamptonshire are being ripped out at a phenomenal speed at the moment, possibly because so many are dead and dying. Perhaps encouraging land owners to do their hedge management in the Autumn/ early winter would not only ensure that birds can nest in peace, but might also produce healthier trees and hedges!

[davecatt]

There is no such thing as a legal cut off date for hedge or woodland management.

Tradition and common sense dictate that hedge laying or coppicing work be done before the sap starts to rise. Common sense also dictates that any such work should be completed before the nesting season.

There are no rules or regulations to prevent hedge management at any time of year.

Places designated for nature or landscape conservation will of course have their guidelines dictated by the management plan.

If you want to encourage sensible hedge management your best approach is through the local press, challenge your councils methods and ask local conservation groups to put forward an opinion on the matter. Local government don't like adverse publicity especially on "Green Issues". But don't just criticise, tactfully point out your concerns and ask if there is a management plan. Try suggesting they adopt a cut off date policy, not only for hedge rows but for grass verges during the nesting season.

[SheffieldLass]

There has been encouragement to not cut hedges in the autumn so that wildlife can eat the berries etc over the winter, and cut in the late winter-early spring. I imagine that given the weather we've had this winter that hedge cutting programs have been delayed, which may be why they are being done now.

[BloomingMarvellous]

Long sections of the M.1 have been managed recently, it looks a right mess.

I think it's too late, personally.

[Cotham Marble]

Originally Posted by davecatt

There is no such thing as a legal cut off date for hedge or woodland management. There are no rules or regulations to prevent hedge management at any time of year.

That's not precisely the case - although it is true that there are not 'precise' rules about what is or is not permitted in terms of dates. There is legislation which protects nesting birds and land managers do not have an excuse of ignorance about whether active nests are present or not. A fairly reasonable statement of the present legal position as it affects managers can be found here: Nesting Birds & Tree Surgery during Nesting Season- Wildlife Conservation

CM

[RKB]

Originally Posted by Cotham Marble

That's not precisely the case - although it is true that there are not 'precise' rules about what is or is not permitted in terms of dates. There is legislation which protects nesting birds and land managers do not have an excuse of ignorance about whether active nests are present or not. A fairly reasonable statement of the present legal position as it affects managers can be found here: Nesting Birds & Tree Surgery during Nesting Season- Wildlife Conservation

CM

Farmers are also bound by certain regulations on management periods if they are in the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (i.e. they don't get their subsidy if they don't do it when required).

Give them a break though - they can't do it in autumn/early winter because it destroys the berry crop, they can't do it in spring or summer because of nesting birds, and they often can't do it in late winter because of waterlogged ground preventing machinery getting in. Even if they do destroy the odd nest in March, there is plenty of time for a replacement or three. It's far better to do it now than just after harvest in July when everything is in full swing.

[bigdave60dog]

Comparativey few farmers are a part of the Countryside Stewardship or similar scemes and unless there is very recent legislation there is are no rules about when to cut hedges.
What do want -hedges or not? When I began work in 1960 we cut all of our hedges by hand with a slashook. A long and tedious job it was too.
We cut all hedges once a year. We tried to cut as many as poss in the winter when we were not too busy. Those that were left were cut in July between hatmaking and harvest times.
Later when we had mechincal hedgecutters we still stuck to the times but only went on winter corn when the ground was frozen.
Nowadays Farming is a very difficult way of making a living. No-one could afford the labour to cut hedges by hand. Most farmers do not keep the equipment for hedgecutting and could not afford the insurance to cut roadside hedges so need to employ specialist contractors. These can only come when they have the time. Just like a builder for your home.
Just be glad that some farmers still have hedgerows. Stop complaining.
My definition of a "whinger" is a person who complains about something without first finding a workabkle solution to remedy the thing that they are complaining about. There are too many of these if you ask me.

[chantal]

If farmers claim single farm payment (most over 10ha do), they are not legally allowed to cut hedges after 1at April. Through Environmental Stewardship, farmers are being encouraged to lay and coppice hedges or cut less frequently. Unfortunatly laying a hedge is very costly and very hard work for those of you that may not have tried!

[RKB]

Apologies, yes, I meant Cross Compliance, not Countryside Stewardship. Cross Compliance (Single Payment Scheme) does contain regulations about hedge cutting. I think the dates are set by ministers each year, to take account of weather. I'm pretty sure that dispensation was given for summer cutting a few years ago, due to waterlogging at other times.

I think the Higher Level CS contains prescriptions for hedge management, as said. For info, there are about 12,000 Countryside Stewardship farms, covering about half a million hectares, so it's not a trivial number.

Of interest, does anyone know when flailing became widespread, and what was used before tractor-mounted flails?