Running from 1 to 8 September, National Hedgerow Week was launched on the farm of Doris Coyne, Westmanstown, Lucan, Co Dublin, on Tuesday 29 August.

Hedgerows provide shelter and food for a myriad of species, while hedges also capture and store carbon dioxide, making them invaluable allies in the fight against climate change, according to Teagasc.

From a farming perspective, they act as windbreaks, protect crops and livestock and prevent soil erosion.

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Maximising the benefits of hedgerows is challenging and many of the events taking place throughout the week are designed to address these challenges.

Specialists

Specialists will be on hand next week to provide machinery demonstrations at different locations across the four provinces, while farm walks and presentations have been organised to raise awareness and to inform the public.

Speaking from the launch, Minister of State Malcolm Noonan said: "The dedication and hard work of local authority heritage and biodiversity officers in organising events to celebrate our hedgerows are commendable.

"Their efforts highlight the intertwined relationship between our cultural heritage and the natural environment."

Minister of State with responsibility for land use and biodiversity Pippa Hackett added that hedgerows are essential features for biodiversity on our farms and act as homes, food and shelter for wildlife - big and small - and provide safe corridors in which to travel and seek protection.

“I urge all farmers and contractors across the country to think about the value of hedgerows on farms this season and to remember wildlife when it comes to hedge management, particularly on internal hedges.

Review

“My Department is currently conducting a review of the environmental impact assessment thresholds for the removal of these precious features and I look forward to its completion in the coming weeks," she said.

This year, the Heritage Council is partnering with Teagasc in the development and delivery of National Hedgerow Week 2023.

Welcoming the partnership between Teagasc and the Heritage Council, director of knowledge transfer at Teagasc Dr Stan Lalor said: “Hedgerow Week 2023 serves as an excellent avenue for the dissemination of knowledge in relation to the establishment, upkeep and protection of Ireland’s hedges.

“Teagasc is pleased to partner with the Heritage Council to deliver this co-ordinated series of events, which will aid in the protection of our hedges and the numerous benefits they bring in terms of biodiversity.”

Teagasc will host a number of these events at its research centres throughout the country, where the best practice in the establishment and management of hedgerows will be discussed.

Theme

The theme of hedgerow week 2023 is ‘how to plant and manage hedges’.

Over the past few months, Teagasc's countryside management specialist Dr Catherine Keena has led the engagement with a diverse range of hedgerow stakeholders.

Keena said: “We have a network of native hedges in the Irish countryside, estimated at 689,000km when using a very broad definition of hedgerow - ranging from woody vegetation on earth banks to stockproof hedges.

“All native hedges are incredibly important for biodiversity, as they are generally 200 years old and, in addition to the hedge plants, the ground vegetation and soil may contain a diverse range of flowering plants, grasses and invertebrates at the hedge base in gaps and in earth banks.

“A diversity of hedges including treeline hedges and topped hedges is desirable. The biodiversity of treeline hedges is primarily in the canopy - full of flowers and fruit.

"Topped hedges with a dense base or laid hedges provide nest sites for birds, with flowers and fruit on individual trees retained."