Defra Blame EU for August Hedgecutting Ban

[ARW]

just cut this hedge and still has fruit. Cut every year for past 3 years, but had 4 years growth on before, that's why it's sparse

 

[llamedos]

Thinking more about it, I assume it is very much dependant on what grows in the hedge, and not just the fruit which feeds, they contain so much else that is edible for the birds, different species of plant must respond best to alternative cutting regimes, so some plants will still continue to fruit on new wood, it just seems such a shame to see bald hedges such as Hawthorne dog rose blackberry and elderberry all that fruit lost.

 

[DrWazzock]

Thinking more about it, I assume it is very much dependant on what grows in the hedge, and not just the fruit which feeds, they contain so much else that is edible for the birds, different species of plant must respond best to alternative cutting regimes, so some plants will still continue to fruit on new wood, it just seems such a shame to see bald hedges such as Hawthorne dog rose blackberry and elderberry all that fruit lost.

Yes, it's a real waste. Destroying all that free food for the birds, and for bramble pickers, rosehip pickers etc. Crab apples and hazelnuts as well round here.

 

[spikeislander]

I think they are forcing us to margins around all the fields. This and the greening / third crop is just a bit more pressure to do it. I hate not cropping land but beginning to think a 4m margin everywhere will do for efa, buffer for spraying if you have it as Forage area could it not be third crop? All hedge cutting in winter then. And then all the public can walk where they like so there won't be any birds left in the hedges or fields as the dogs will disturb them. Then they will be happy. How we have done things for hundreds of years has worked or else we would have no birds. Biggest problem is the badger and that's protected by a law made up by someone in an office. Aaaaaargh rant over

 

[Pan mixer]

I think they are forcing us to margins around all the fields. This and the greening / third crop is just a bit more pressure to do it. I hate not cropping land but beginning to think a 4m margin everywhere will do for efa, buffer for spraying if you have it as Forage area could it not be third crop? All hedge cutting in winter then. And then all the public can walk where they like so there won't be any birds left in the hedges or fields as the dogs will disturb them. Then they will be happy. How we have done things for hundreds of years has worked or else we would have no birds. Biggest problem is the badger and that's protected by a law made up by someone in an office. Aaaaaargh rant over

Quite tricky to make silage or hay on a 4m margin, not enough room for turning or bale cart, tried it on a 6 m margin, lots of teleporter wheelmarks in the crop.

 

[spikeislander]

Fair point but I still think they are forcing us that way.