Hedging our bets

Hedge-cutting rules are over the top and benefit no-one – not even birds, says Fen Tiger

One advantage of an early harvest is the ability to get the hedge cutter in place and trim the ditches and hedges.

But new regulations applied from May 2024 mean it seems that 1 September is the new date on which hedges can be trimmed. So any ditches cut in August mean a return journey for the cutter in early autumn.

This creates a short window of opportunity to get things done – and puts extra pressure on cultivations and logistical issues. Having now paid a second visit, the extra wheelings have to be removed – all at extra cost.

The idea behind delayed cutting is to protect the nesting birds. That’s important, of course. But with the conservationists now keen on a one-year-in-three cut of hedges, their thought process clearly does not add up.

Good food supply

The policy-makers who dream up these ideas are far removed from the day-to-day realities of practical farming. To confuse matters further, a derogation to cut hedges after 1 August following an oilseed rape crop sends mixed messages.

If some hedges can be cut from 1 August and not harm nesting birds, why can’t the rest? If the one-year-in-three rule is going to apply, the current idea of cutting hedges little and often – which has worked well for farmers and conservationists – is redundant.

Good food supply

Cutting every year enables small amounts of foliage off the hedge while maintaining a good height. This means a good food supply for the birds in the shape of berries for the winter months.

With the new ruling, after year three the hedges would be brutally cut back – potentially destroying a food source and perhaps even safe nesting habitats for smaller birds.

Why is it not practical to have a system that allows 50% of all hedges to be cut from 1 August onwards, rotating across the  farm? Most nesting birds are long gone by then so disruption would be minimal and the countryside left in a tidy state.

No-one benefits

Hedge-cutting during harvest for smaller farms was once a job done in the morning while waiting for the dew to dry – or one man following the combine around. For larger farms, the rules are even more problematic.

These days, it is usually a case of cutting ditches only to have to return from 1 September for hedges. With a 2m margin now also maintained between hedge and field everyone has to adhere to these rules.

The question is why do these rules exist? They don’t favour farmers or contractors and may not help the nesting birds. Farmers have maintained new hedges for generations.

At the same time wildlife has flourished. Change does not always work and the situation is a clear indication that farming is slowly being eroded by faceless bureaucrats.