A man was convicted and fined €1,000 at Nenagh District Court last week for cutting and removing hedgerows during the bird nesting season.

In a case taken by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), a man was convicted on 13 June of the offence under Section 40 of the Wildlife Acts.

The offence involved the destruction of vegetation growing in a hedge on 21 May 2018 during the bird nesting season at Lisbunny, Nenagh, Co Tipperary.

Evidence

Conservation ranger Dr Áine Lynch of the NPWS presented evidence at Nenagh District Court which showed that just under 1.5km of hedgerow vegetation had been severely cut back, with a further 137m completely removed during the bird nesting season, which runs between 1 March 1 and 31 August.

She explained that this was at the height of the bird breeding season and that any eggs or feeding chicks in the hedge would have been destroyed or exposed.

Defence

The defendant’s case was that he had removed the hedgerow vegetation prior to 1 March.

However, photographs were presented to the court showing freshly disturbed ground, with the removed trees and shrub in leaf or blossom.

The judge stated that the evidence given by Dr Lynch was compelling and that, from the photographs showing vegetation clearly in leaf, the works could not have been carried out in February and that the State had clearly proven its case.

The judge convicted and fined the defendant €1,000 on the charge.

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