‘Good day for nature’ as controversial hedge cutting plans shelved

July 17th, 2019

Conservation and environmental groups have welcomed a “good day for nature” as the Minister for Heritage shelves a controversial change to the laws on hedge-cutting.

Josepha Madigan yesterday announced that she will
not proceed with new regulations that would have allowed for roadside hedge
cutting this August on a trial basis. 

The Minister was given discretionary powers under the Heritage Act 2018 to allow for the cutting of roadside hedges during August on a trial basis in 2019 and 2020.

The Wildlife Act currently restricts the cutting, burning or destruction of vegetation on uncultivated land or in hedges or ditches during the nesting and breeding season for birds and wildlife from 1 March to 31 August.

Ms Madigan said that she made the decision as it’s
clear from both recent international and national studies that “we need to
provide greater protection” for biodiversity. “It would be wrong and would send
out all the wrong signals to extend hedge cutting further into August this
year.”

In Ireland, recently released data has shown
that many of our
habitats
 are under threat, together with bee populations and various bird
species
 that frequent our island.

Kieran Flood of the Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT)
welcomed Ms Madigan’s announcement and the fact that the decision was made
“based on data detailing Ireland’s biodiversity decline”. 

“The drastic reductions in protection for nature
brought about by the Heritage Act are considered by the IWT and other
environmental groups to be both unnecessary and dangerous to wildlife. We are
glad to see [hedgecutting] is not being allowed this August.”

According to An Taisce, the new powers in the Heritage Act would have a negative impact on birds, pollinators and other species that rely on hedgerows for food, shelter, as corridors of movement, and for nesting and hibernation.

Heritage Bill protect April 2018 Photo: Ramya Ramalingam

‘Clarion call’

The environmental charity said that the passage of
this Act “was a major blow to nature conservation in Ireland” and that allowing
for cutting in August would “directly contradict” the recent declaration of a
biodiversity emergency.

Dr Elaine McGoff, An Taisce’s Natural Environment
Officer, said that she hopes Ms Madigan’s decision will act as a “clarion call”
to other departments to give biodiversity loss “the consideration it urgently
requires”.

“This is great news for hedgerows in 2019, but we
would like to see a guarantee that hedgerow cutting in August will not be
permitted in other years,” she added.

During field research on late-nesting bird species last
year, BirdWatch Ireland’s (BWI) found 24 other species nesting in hedgerows well
into August. This includes the under-threat Yellowhammer that BWI found still
nesting up to the end of September.

BWI’s Oonagh Duggan said that yesterday was a “good
day for nature” and welcomed Ms Madigan’s comments on the “need to nurture
nature and biodiversity”.

Ms Duggan called on Ms Madigan to follow up on her strong
words in favour of protecting nature by setting up a forum to deliver a
National Hedgerow Conservation Strategy to ensure their long-term conservation.

“The Minister’s decision today saves hedgerows this
August, but a long-term conservation strategy is urgently needed. This should
include a bespoke law protecting hedgerows, as well as guidance on their
appropriate management for the benefit of wildlife,” Ms Duggan added.

The Joint Oireachtas Climate Action Committee had recommended that a conservation strategy was included in new State climate policy. The Government has instead proposed to commission a study to quantify the climate role of hedgerows by 2021. Hedgerows act as carbon sinks, estimated to cover over six per cent – 450,000 hectares – of our landmass.

Hedge removal during nesting season by Irish Rail Photo: Pippa Hackett

Hedgecutting cases

Earlier this year, Irish Rail updated its vegetation
management policy to ensure that site-specific risk assessments are carried out
if any tree or hedge cutting is being considered during the nesting season.

The move came after Green Party Councillor Pippa
Hackett raised concerns with
“many incidences of severe hedge trimming” and hedge removal during the cutting
season along the rail line in her native Co Offaly.

In May, two men in Co Laois were found guilty and
convicted
 under the Wildlife Act for hedgerow destruction
during the nesting season between 22 and 27 May 2017 in Clogrenan, Co Laois.

The case was brought forward by the National Parks
and Wildlife Service (NPWS) earlier this month. The two men were convicted of
four offences under the Wildlife Act.

According to data released to The Green
News
 under Access to Information on the Environment regulations, the
NPWS has brought over 30 cases linked to illegal hedgerow cutting or removal
since 2010.

This account for a little over 15 per cent of cases
brought by the service between 2010 and 2018, with other cases involving the
likes of illegal hare coursing, bird trapping and tree removal.

Upland burning

In March, Ms Madigan announced that she would not
make regulations allowed for under the Heritage Act to extend the season for
the burning of vegetation into March following an “exceptionally dry” winter.

Analysis of Met Eireann data by Ms Madigan’s
department showed that the first two months of 2019 were “exceptionally dry”
with rainfall almost 30 per cent below the 30-year average.

Ms Madigan has previously indicated that granting
an extension to the burning period would be conditional on adverse weather
conditions that prevent burning during the prescribed open period.

Biodiversity
experts have raised concerns
 that such a move would have a
devastating impact on breeding birds such as the near-extinct curlew that
begins its nesting activities in March, as well as other bird species that nest
in scrub.

The burning provision in the Heritage Act will expire after a two-year pilot period although the period may be continued for periods of up to three years by resolution by each House of the Oireachtas.

About the Author

Niall Sargent

Niall is the Editor of The Green News. He is a multimedia journalist, with an MA in Investigative Journalism from City University, London

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