Roadside Hedge and Tree Maintenance
When are hedges and trees maintained?
Where road safety is not jeopardised, landowners and occupiers are recommended to undertake trimming preferably in January and February, to ensure that berries and nuts are available for feeding birds and other wildlife for as long as possible during the winter. Trimming should not take place during the main bird breeding season, March to July inclusive, unless unavoidable, for safety reasons. It should be noted that bird nesting may well take place beyond this period, with this particularly being the case for the rare Cirl Bunting found in South Devon (mainly in Teignbridge, Torbay and South Hams) that breeds into August and early September.
Climate change has also advanced the onset of breeding for some species, such as Robins and Blackbirds, that can now nest in February. Hedges that are cut every year support far less wildlife than those which are cut less frequently and where hedges are set back from the edge of the road and safety considerations allow, farmers and landowners are encouraged to cut on a two or three year cycle. If the side of the hedge adjacent to the road has to be cut every year for visibility, drainage or other reasons, consideration should be given to only cutting the top of the hedgeonce every two or three years or less frequently.
