12/10/2026
Good reasons for managing your hedgerows differently
The common management system of cutting hedges to the knuckle, to the same height every time on an annual basis, has never been recognised as good practice. While managing land is a big responsibility and it's widely known that retailers fall short of a fair return on most British-grown produce, working with nature benefits the farmer as much as anyone else.
It has to be said that annual cutting to the same height became a trend at a time when government subsidies were paying £10 per metre for hedge management, while recommending incremental / rotational cutting via advisory outlets such as Natural England and Hedgelink.
Many commenters in threads here are now complaining that there is no payment for looking after hedgerows.
Thugging hedgerows doesn't only decimate wildlife, it reduces water uptake causing surface flooding. It degrades soil quality and prevents carbon capture by interrupting natural growth and decay cycles. It may be quick, taking just three passes of the bar cutter to perform, but the costs of this convenience are not worth paying in the long run. Annually reducing hedgerows to barren sticks across field interiors is a waste of diesel and does the farm no favours.
If you would like to discuss help with alternative management systems and give or gain practical assistance to restore hedgerow integrity, please send a private message. Thank you.
