Hedge

**History and Importance of Hedges:**
– Hedges date back to the Neolithic Age for enclosing land.
– Some hedges were built during the Bronze and Iron Ages.
– Medieval period saw the origin of many hedgerows.
– Enclosure Acts in Britain led to destruction and replanting of hedges.
– As of 2024, England alone has 390,000 km of hedgerows.
– Hedges are part of cultural heritage and valuable for wildlife.
– They prevent soil loss, reduce pollution, and regulate water supply.
– Hedgerows support diverse earthworm populations and mycorrhizal fungi.
– Provide shelter for birds, insects, and potentially act as guides for moths.
– Play a role in reducing flooding and maintaining environmental health.

**Composition and Species of Hedges:**
– Hedges may consist of single or mixed species.
– Common shrubs in British hedges are hawthorn and blackthorn.
– Other species used include holly, beech, oak, and willow.
– Normandy hedgerows are described as half earth, half hedge.
– Common species for formal garden hedges include Berberis thunbergii, Buxus sempervirens, and European hornbeam.
– English oak and ash are common hedgerow trees in Britain.
– Around 1.8 million hedgerow trees exist in Britain, mainly in England and Wales.

**Benefits and Management of Hedges:**
– Act as barriers, windbreaks, and live fences.
– Provide topiary when clipped and maintained.
– Offer privacy, security, and demarcation of properties.
– Enhance biodiversity and wildlife habitats.
– Contribute to landscape aesthetics and historical significance.
– Hedgerow management scale ranges from 1 to 10.
– Protecting nesting birds is a legal concern in hedge management.
– Coppicing and hard pollarding can rejuvenate hedges.
– RSPB suggests not cutting hedges between March and August in Britain.

**Hedge Types and Techniques:**
– Instant hedge formed by planting mature hedging plants collectively.
– Quickset hedge created by planting live whitethorn cuttings directly into the earth.
– Devon hedge is an earth bank topped with shrubs, often faced with turf or stone.
– Cornish hedge is an earth bank with stones, often with large stone blocks on each side.
– Hedgelaying involves cutting, bending, and interweaving stems.
– Trimming with flail cutter or hedge trimmer promotes bushy growth.
– Traditional hedgelaying ensures hedges remain stock-proof.

**Regulation and Significant Hedges:**
– In the US, local jurisdictions may regulate hedge placement or height strictly.
– Laws like the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 regulate high hedges affecting neighboring properties in the UK.
– Owners of tall hedges must reduce them if they adversely affect neighbors’ enjoyment of their property.
– Significant hedges like the Great Hedge of India and the Willow Palisade played roles in controlling movement, collecting taxes, and marking boundaries.
– Historical hedges demonstrate the varied purposes hedges have served throughout history.