Irish hedgerows store 58t/ha of carbon – Teagasc

Teagasc research has estimated that there are approximately 58t of carbon per hectare in the above-ground biomass stocks of a hedgerow.

The Farm Carbon project has been measuring individual hedgerows so that remote measurements can be related to biomass and carbon stocks.

The research found new hedgerow planting offers the best carbon sequestration potential and that allowing hedgerows to grow out 1m increases sequestration by 1-2t/ha per year. Previously the Biomass Retrieval in Ireland using Active Remote Sensing (BRIAR) project had estimated there are 689,000km or 186,000ha of hedgerows in Ireland. Improving carbon storage in these hedgerows could help to offset agricultural emissions.