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Help re hedge cutting please


Excalibur

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As part of my day job, I have to trim an ivy covered wall at my wife's place of work. The ivy must stay to cover a really ugly wall, but be trimmed to stop it's bid to engulf neighbouring properties. Now the hard bit, although nothing nests in it, locals are adamant that when trimming it we must not disturb any birdlife, and have been told that we are under constant scrutiny when doing this. Since a local council has apparently been prosecuted for a similar event, does anyone know of any regulations concerning timing of cutting work, possibly under Wildlife and Countryside act? Work needs to be done urgently, but I don't want to end up in court for a £50 job!

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I doubt that it's the sort of thing covered by law. Your best option would probably be writting to the watchers and asking them to specify dates when they feel that disturbance of wildlife is least likely.

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From my understanding of the wildlife and countryside act it is an offence to trim or clip trees bush's or habitat that is currently being used by nesting birds and that it is also an offence to remove or disturb nesting birds. However I believe that there is nothing in the act that prevents you from cutting or trimming once the eggs have fledged even if those fledglings or adult birds use the Ivy(in this case) for roosting purposes, so I would think you could if you wanted to , tell those who interfere to take a long walk off a short pier

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Steady on Brian, those people who interfere may be disabled and unable to walk off said pier. Theres bound to be a person who is paid to watch for these things so be careful what you say.

 

I have an increasing desire to get off this Planet!!

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Yes, be careful, but that doesn't change the fact the Brian's information clarifies the original question.

Personally, I'd still be inclined to go to the watchers. No doubt they've kept records and can tell you exactly when the birds have nested and fledged over several seasons.

If they haven't, they obviously have little interest beyond sticking an oar in and a short trip to a peir with appropriate disabled access may indeed be appropriate.

Species caught in 2020: Barbel. European Eel. Bleak. Perch. Pike.

Species caught in 2019: Pike. Bream. Tench. Chub. Common Carp. European Eel. Barbel. Bleak. Dace.

Species caught in 2018: Perch. Bream. Rainbow Trout. Brown Trout. Chub. Roach. Carp. European Eel.

Species caught in 2017: Siamese carp. Striped catfish. Rohu. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Black Minnow Shark. Perch. Chub. Brown Trout. Pike. Bream. Roach. Rudd. Bleak. Common Carp.

Species caught in 2016: Siamese carp. Jullien's golden carp. Striped catfish. Mekong catfish. Amazon red tail catfish. Arapaima. Alligator gar. Rohu. Black Minnow Shark. Roach, Bream, Perch, Ballan Wrasse. Rudd. Common Carp. Pike. Zander. Chub. Bleak.

Species caught in 2015: Brown Trout. Roach. Bream. Terrapin. Eel. Barbel. Pike. Chub.

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I'm sure i was told once that the countryside and wildlife act on the above applies between April and September and only on certain hedges....i stand to be corrected on that though.

 

I shall be cutting my yew hedge at work this week.

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Hedgerows - from the RSPB website

 

Personally, I'd let it grow until birds did nest in it. Got some pretty dense Ivy in my garden and it's home to Song thrush, Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens and Dunnocks at times, many birds feed on the insects it hosts and on the berries at times.

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The RSPB go on to say:

 

According to the best practice guidelines set out by the RSPB, hedges should never be cut during the nesting season of March to August (following a mild winter from February onwards).

 

Hedge trimming is best left until the end of the winter to leave the larder of fruits and nuts for wildlife. If it is not possible to carry out the trimming at this time, it can be brought forward as necessary. The most important consideration is to avoid trimming during the breeding season.

 

Unfortunately, there is no legislation to enforce these best practice guidelines. However, the guidelines are agreed by conservation groups and agriculture departments.

 

So leave it until Sept/Oct and you should be fine

 

dan

There's a fine line between fishing and standing on the shore like an idiot!

 

Its nice here! http://www.twfcorfu.com

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The RSPB go on to say:

 

According to the best practice guidelines set out by the RSPB, hedges should never be cut during the nesting season of March to August (following a mild winter from February onwards).

 

Hedge trimming is best left until the end of the winter to leave the larder of fruits and nuts for wildlife. If it is not possible to carry out the trimming at this time, it can be brought forward as necessary. The most important consideration is to avoid trimming during the breeding season.

 

Unfortunately, there is no legislation to enforce these best practice guidelines. However, the guidelines are agreed by conservation groups and agriculture departments.

 

So leave it until Sept/Oct and you should be fine

 

dan

 

Having just spoken to a man who makes his living cutting hedges ( but his chopper is a lot bigger than mine!) it seems August 1st is open season as it were. Watch out for me in the law courts, eh?

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Guest franticfisherman2

you probably know this already, but don't get any of the sap on your skin. I did last year in my garden and I came out in a nasty rash :(

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