Mark Whitehead 31 May 2023

Hedgerows in England threatened by cuts

Hedgerows in England threatened by cuts image
Image: Carol Tyers / Shutterstock.com.

Hedgerows in England are under threat because of Government plans to cut funding, farmers and nature groups have warned.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has called for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to keep the regulations which applied when the UK was in the EU or replace them with a similar policy.

They say hedges are vital habitat for many species, providing food and shelter for mammals, birds and pollinators, with the EU paying farmers under its farming subsidy scheme to have them on their land.

But they warn that in the transition to post-Brexit farming payments, aimed at paying land managers to protect and conserve nature, a scheme that encouraged the laying and maintenance of hedges could be lost.

Alice Groom, head of sustainable land use policy at RSPB, said: ‘The future of over 547,000km of hedgerow alongside agricultural land is now under threat.

‘As spaces for wildlife we believe hedgerows are an essential part of creating a vibrant countryside and should be recognised as part of the effort to halt species decline in England, as well as helping to keep carbon locked up.

‘So we are asking Defra to commit to the protection of our precious hedgerows and ensure that they continue to have the basic protections as afforded under the basic payments scheme.’

A Defra spokesperson said: ‘Our Countryside Stewardship schemes are already helping farmers maintain and restore over 10,000km of existing hedgerow and plant an additional 4,000km of hedges right across the country.

‘We are also introducing a new Sustainable Farming Initiative hedgerow standard this year to pay farmers to assess the condition of hedgerows and manage them in a way that will work for wildlife and improve biodiversity – and we will shortly be consulting on how to best further protect them as we phase out CAP.’

Sign up here to recieve our free daily news and jobs bulletin.

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Principal Accountant

Durham County Council
£47,181 to £51,356 p.a. (Grade 13)
Durham County Council is the largest council in the North East, we have a budget of around £1.3 billion which helps us provide services to more than 5 Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Mechanical Foreman

Durham County Council
£35,412 to £39,152 p.a. (Grade 9)
A vacancy has arisen within Building and Facilities Management for a Mechanical Foreman working full time 37 hours.   WHAT IS INVOLVED?    Within a co Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Occupational Health Physiotherapist

Durham County Council
£40,777 to £45,091 p.a. (Grade 11)
An exciting opportunity has arisen with Durham County Council to join our well established ‘in house’ Occupational Health Service in making a positiv Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Apprentice - Housing Management

Durham County Council
£14,566 per annum / £7.55 per hour (NMW in Second Year)
Earn. Learn. Qualify. Do you want to earn while you learn, with the chance of progression once you qualify? Do you want the opportunity to grow, devel Seaham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

School Crossing Patrol

Durham County Council
Grade 1 £3,383 (approx.) £12.85 per hour
Join our School Crossing Patrol Service! Are you punctual and reliable? Do you have good communication skills and a strong sense of community spirit? Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner