Bountiful hedgerows attract wildlife
The humble hedgerow has seen a resurgence in its fortunes where sensitive farm practices and favourable conditions earlier in the year have combined to serve-up the nation’s birds with an autumnal wild berry feast.
Reaping the benefits are the one thousand kilometres of hedgerows under the care of farmers participating in the Waitrose WildCare scheme that operates on the retailer’s dairy farms. Heading-up the initiative is wildlife expert Tim Oliver. "We impose some very simple requirements for hedgerow management, yet in terms of the wildlife habitats they create, hedgerows have been one of the biggest success stories of the initiative – particularly this year," he says.
Unless road safety requires otherwise, the scheme restricts hedge cutting to a three-year cycle. Wherever possible, any necessary cutting is confined to a proportion of the hedges each year and to the months of January and February. This allows hedgerows to flower and fruit, ensuring berries are available on the farms to both summer migrants fuelling up to leave the UK in autumn and winter migrants arriving here from northern Europe.
"The hedgerow policy works really well as it actually saves labour." explains Tim, "and it’s an easy way to attract more bird and insect life to farms."
The 2010 weather has also dealt a helpful hand this year with the warm spring assisting both flowering and pollination. The result is a bumper crop of autumn berries on the Waitrose WildCare farms that will help sustain bird and animal life through the coming months.
"It’s great news for both our resident wildlife and for the birds that migrate here for the winter," adds Tim. "There should be plenty of food available when the Redwings and Fieldfares arrive here later in the autumn."
Tim Oliver comments; "The Waitrose WildCare initiative has been so successful because of the partnership between the participating farmers, the milk processor and retailer. The scheme works with 21st Century farming practices, whilst encouraging farmers to farm in a sympathetic way, caring for the wildlife and plant species found on their farms."
