National Hedgerow Week 2026

When: Friday, 28th August to Sunday, 6th September 2026

Events are free to attend and are open to all. The events scheduled for the week are organised by Teagasc, Local Authority Biodiversity Officers, hedgerow organisations and others.

Programme of Events:

Coming soon. Please keep an eye out for the programme of events.

Learn More About Hedgerows

To celebrate National Hedgerow Week 2026, Teagasc and the Heritage Council have prepared a series of short articles highlighting the many benefits hedgerows provide for wildlife, farming, climate and communities across Ireland. Read them below. 

Hedgerows are a lifeline for birds and insects

A hedgerow is much more than a field or land boundary or roadside presence. It can be one of the busiest places for wildlife. Around half of Ireland's regularly recorded countryside bird species use hedgerows, with 35 species nesting in them.

Many of our familiar birds, including robins, wrens, blackbirds and yellowhammers, build their nests in hedgerows. The dense branches provide a safe place to nest, while the

insects living in and around the hedge help feed hungry chicks. Later in the year, berries from hawthorn, blackthorn, holly and bramble become an important food source when insects are less plentiful.

A good hedge is alive with insects, even if much of that activity goes unnoticed. In spring, hedgerow flowers provide some of the first nectar and pollen of the year for bees, butterflies and hoverflies. Through the summer, thousands of insects live among the leaves and flowers, helping to pollinate crops and wild plants while also keeping some pest populations in check.

Hedgerows also connect the countryside. They allow birds, insects and small mammals to move between woodlands, rivers, wetlands and grasslands in search of food and new territories. As fields become larger and infrastructure developments and housing grows, many habitats are disappearing. Maintaining these green corridors is becoming even more important.

It doesn't take much to make a hedge even better for wildlife. Allowing some hedges to flower and produce berries, leaving an unsprayed grassy margin at the base and retaining the occasional mature tree all add to their value. Cutting hedges on a rotation, rather than every year, encourages more flowers and fruit while creating a mix of hedge ages and structures across the farm.

From spring blossom feeding pollinators to autumn berries feeding birds, a healthy hedgerow works all year round. It might look like a simple field or land boundary or a common roadside sight, but for wildlife it's one of the richest and hardest-working habitats in the landscape.

Hedgerows help maintain and improve water quality and can mitigate climate change

A hedged landscape is good for water quality. The root systems of hedgerows regulate the movement of water, absorbing and recycling nutrients like phosphorus from farm slurry, or pesticides from urban runoff, thus reducing the risk of pollution to waterways. With the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) finding that nearly half of Ireland’s rivers, lakes, canals, estuaries and coastal waters are of “unsatisfactory” water quality, this role hedgerows play is incredibly valuable.

Hedgerows also help to reduce sediment from moving down slope, preventing excessive siltation in waterways which can clog up riverbeds and deteriorate aquatic habitats, stopping salmon and trout from spawning for example.

For supporting water quality, aim for well-structured hedgerows with generous, unsprayed margins that help trap nutrients and sediment before they reach drains and rivers (while also supporting biodiversity). If planting a new native hedgerow, plant it perpendicular to the main pathways that water tends to flow. A well-placed hedge breaks the pathway to the watercourse. Projects like Farming for Water EIP are supporting farmers to implement measures that improve water quality. Funding is available for over 40 measures, including hedge and tree planting along waterways.

Furthermore, research is increasingly highlighting the role hedgerows can play in climate change mitigation through carbon storage. Preliminary estimates by the EPA suggest that hedgerows and non-forest woodlands have the potential to store carbon, and with an estimated 186,000 hectares of hedgerows across Ireland, this contribution may be significant at a national level. Note that these estimates exclude potential emissions associated with hedgerow management or disturbance. Teagasc’s Farm Carbon project found that hedgerow management directly affects the amount of carbon that is stored over time. Intensively-managed hedgerows have limited benefits for carbon. Less intensively managed, wider, taller hedgerows that are managed on a cycle contain significantly higher amount of carbon. Thus, less intensive hedgerow management, rejuvenation of older hedges or planting of new hedgerows can enhance hedgerows’ role in carbon storage.

The deeply embedded heritage of Irish hedgerows

The native hedgerow is one of the more iconic features of Ireland. Found on almost every rural road and farmland, a patchwork quilt landscape of fields bordered by hedgerows is a familiar sight here. Ireland (and Britain) are unique in this heritage – hedgerows are very unusual in mainland Europe and beyond. Hedgerows evoke history and folklore: references to the Táin, booleying of cattle, estates and landlords, hedge schools, fairy bushes and more.

Most hedgerows were planted between 1750 and 1850 but woven through this landscape tapestry are older hedgerows which date from Gaelic Ireland, in the age before colonisation by England. These ‘ancient’ hedgerows would have developed on top of banks, such as raths, which were dug to mark townland boundaries and to provide an additional barrier to hostile forces.

There is lots of fascinating history and folklore related to these old hedgerows, some of which has been carried through to today. The whitethorn, which in fact is still the mainstay of our hedgerows, was associated with spring and marriage. It was widely regarded as a sacred tree in ancient times and, even to this day, it is considered unlucky to cut down the ‘lone thorn’, May or fairy bush or sceach. The hazel was regarded as the tree of knowledge and the nuts were especially sought after as the repository of ancient wisdom. Holly protected people during the dark winter months, while crab apple was symbolic of the giving of love. These ancient hedgerows are vital to keep identifying and protecting.

As noted above, much of Ireland’s hedgerow landscape as we know it today was established between 1750 and 1850. English landowners in Ireland were obliged by law to erect “fences”, as in England, to “enclose” former commonage and form fields. This led to our hedgerow landscape but was unpopular with the small Irish tenant farmers because it deprived them of the use of common land on which they had traditional grazing rights. Ultimately, enclosure increased poverty for the Irish.

Today, agriculture still uses hedgerows to contain and demarcate its various activities (a thick, thorny hedge will equally serve the same purpose today), and we carry through much of the folklore related to ancient hedgerows. They are a core part of our heritage. Sadly most recent figures by the Environment Protection Agency estimate that around 1400km of hedgerows are being removed each year. This is a loss not just for biodiversity and climate, but for our cultural and historical heritage. We need to take responsibility for protecting our wonderful heritage including strengthening laws around hedgerow removal and management. Much is already being done from organisations including Teagasc, the Heritage Council, Hedgerows Ireland, Biodiversity Officers and the National Biodiversity Data Centre to raise public awareness and highlight the significant role hedgerows play in Ireland’s biodiversity and heritage. National Hedgerow Week each year also puts a positive spotlight on hedgerows.

Hedgerows providing shelter and shade for livestock

One of the most understated benefits of hedgerows is their vital role in providing shelter and shade to livestock on Irish farms. In wet and windy weather, you will frequently see livestock sheltered down at the base of hedgerows, taking shelter from the prevailing wind and driving rain. Hedgerows can provide a dry lie for animals in adverse weather conditions and act as a natural windbreak under which animals will huddle for warmth. This helps livestock conserve body heat, reducing the amount of energy used to stay warm and the effects on their immune system, thus minimising the effects of the harsh weather on their growth and productivity. This is especially important for newborn livestock, who are naturally born with low energy reserves and are hyper-susceptible to hypothermia in the early days of life. A dense hedge can provide shelter from winds and rain for a distance of roughly three times its height.

Shade is also increasingly critical on Irish farms. While traditionally viewed as a secondary concern in Ireland's temperate climate, rising temperatures, higher humidity, and more intense summer heatwaves have made shade a vital requirement to heat stress in animals. Heat stress occurs when an animal generates heat faster than it can dissipate it. Hedgerows provide shade, blocking direct sunlight on the animals, reducing their heat absorption and lowering their body temperature, meaning livestock can rest peacefully. The shade helps to reduce panting and associated drops in feed intake and performance.

Hedgerow structure matters. Tall hedgerows with dense bases are most beneficial to livestock. Dense hedges with significant lower growth provide year-round shelter from wind and draughts through their complex network of branches, not just when in full bloom in the summer months. As hedgerows get taller, the shaded zone they create extends out into the field, expanding their zone of influence.

Hedgerows: ‘Commuter corridors’ for wildlife

One of the key reasons hedgerows have such high ecological value is because of their role as wildlife corridors. Hedgerows that criss-cross our landscape allow the movement and distribution of animals across the land, connecting them to and between other habitats they use like woodlands, lakes and grasslands.

These hedge ‘commuter corridors’ (including the grasses, wildflowers and plants in the verges) can sustain and help move many bird species, pollinators and small animals. Take bats – they use hedgerows to navigate between roosting sites and foraging areas, seen as a safe passage through the landscape and avoiding open areas where they may be more vulnerable to predators. And bees like to move along hedgerows too as they get some protection from the wind and rain, as well a food source.

Hedgerows that are well-connected to a wider network of other hedgerows and habitats are thought to support greater biodiversity. If connectivity is missing and the landscape is fragmented, this restricts the distribution of some species, limiting genetic diversity, and can even be a threat to the survival of others, with isolated populations more at risk of local extinction. For example, in the West of Ireland where the lesser horseshoe bat is found, it is now found in pockets in different counties that have genetic differences due to large scale landscape fragmentation preventing their movement.

There are different sizes of gaps or fragmentation in hedgerows that can break up connectivity in different ways – at the landscape level as mentioned above but also gaps in individual hedgerows can cause issues. Large gaps (5m or more, which are increasingly common on farms due to larger machinery necessitating larger gates) make it difficult for many animals to safely cross, and even small gaps can be an obstacle for some animals.

Protecting and enhancing hedgerow corridors and their verges will improve wildlife habitat connectivity and strengthen wildlife populations. Gaps in hedgerows can be replanted to re-connect, as long as there is no risk of them being shaded out when trying to grow. The existing hedgerow could also be laid, if it is in an appropriate condition. At

the landscape level, increasing connectivity could mean planting new hedgerows, extending current hedgerows to re-form lost connections, or extending hedgerows to help them connect to other habitats in the wider landscape such as any patches of woodland.

How to best manage your hedgerows

Many hedgerows benefit from periodic cutting to maintain species diversity and prevent vigorous plants from dominating. Timing is important: cutting at the wrong time can disturb or destroy nesting birds, their eggs and nests, which are protected under Irish and EU law. Section 40 of the Wildlife Act restricts hedge and vegetation removal during the bird‑nesting season; as a practical rule, work is generally only permitted between 1 September and 28 February. Limited exemptions exist — see Bird nesting season and vegetation removal for details — but any work that destroys or disturbs nests may still be an offence.

Farmers, landowners and roadside hedge authorities should aim for some structural diversity across the hedgerow. Plan a range of hedgerow heights if possible; some tall, and some shorter, to cater for a broader range of wildlife and to enhance the biodiversity value. You are not obliged to cut hedgerows, but where hedgerow cutting takes place as part of the course, these practical points can be followed:

• Treeline hedges: only carryout side‑trimming where overhanging branches are an issue. Never top the canopy of treeline hedges, unless there is a specific site management or safety reason for doing so. Many of the high biodiversity value features of treeline hedgerows are evident in their tallest foliage and topping treeline hedgerows that have not previously been managed in this way will reduce these benefits and damage the structural integrity of the plant.
• Topped hedges: trimming from the top naturally controls the plants structure, encouraging lateral shoot development leading to bushier and denser regrowth. Don’t cut the crown below about 1.8m. Regular, light trimming from a solid base to form a triangular profile encourages a thicker hedge. Ensure not to cut the hedge back to the exact same height and width year after year. This creates a dense, gnarled scar tissue at the trim line and over time the hedge directs all its energy into producing a flurry of thin shoots from this line, while the base of the hedge becomes starved of light and life, leading to a gappy, ‘mushroom-shaped’ structure that is poor for wildlife and weak in its structure.
• Using the correct machinery: Finger bar cutters with a pair of reciprocating blades are very suitable for trimming young leafy growth. A well sharpened flail cutter should only be used on soft growth of thorny species up to approximately 25mm thick, but never on woody species (such as willow, hazel and cherry): the resulting ragged ends can cause issues and invite disease. Woody species and thicker stems should be cut with a circular saw to provide a clean cut that will cap over and prevent disease and water ingress.
• Rejuvenation: mature, gappy hedges can be restored by infilling, coppicing or laying. Choose the method to suit the site and carry out works in phases so wildlife always has some cover.
• Planting: use locally sourced native species for infill or new planting (e.g. hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, holly, willow, alder). Aim for multi‑layer structure (trees, shrubs, bramble) to provide year‑round shelter, nesting cover and food for wildlife.
• Practical precautions: check for nests before cutting, keep works within the permitted period where possible, and record reasons for any out‑of‑season work or exemptions relied upon.

How to bring an old hedge back to life

An old, gappy hedge isn't necessarily a lost cause. Even if it has become thin or overgrown, it can often be restored instead of removed or left there looking bleak. In many cases, giving an existing hedge a new lease of life is better for wildlife, the soil, climate, livestock and more than starting again.

Traditional techniques such as hedge laying and coppicing have been used for generations to rejuvenate hedgerows. Hedge laying involves partially cutting and bending stems over, so they continue to grow, creating a thick, living barrier. Coppicing involves cutting shrubs close to the ground to encourage vigorous new shoots from the base. It can look drastic at first, but don't be put off. Within a few growing seasons, the hedge will often be thicker and healthier than before.

Rejuvenating a hedge has practical benefits too. A dense hedge is usually better at containing livestock and makes a stronger field boundary. It also helps slow water running off fields and traps sediment before it reaches drains and streams.

Wildlife quickly responds as well. Thicker hedges provide better nesting sites for birds, while flowers support pollinators and autumn berries provide food for wildlife. Rather than tackling every hedge at once, many farmers restore one section each winter. Over time, this creates a mix of young and mature hedges across the farm, ensuring there's always good habitat available.

It can also be an option to plant some new hedge species to fill the gaps in an old gappy hedge, in addition to laying or coppicing the old species, as long as the new species won’t be shaded out whilst trying to grow. If a hedge really is beyond repair, planting a new native mixed-species hedge is a great investment. But wherever possible, it pays to protect and restore the hedges already there. They've taken decades to develop into the rich habitats we see today, and that's something a newly planted hedge simply can't replace overnight.

Major hedge work should always be carried out between late autumn and the end of February, outside the bird nesting season.