Hedges revisited …….
by Chris, 2 May, 2013, 2 comments
The work of Max Hooper established that not all hedges are ‘equal’ – they vary considerably in terms of their age and composition. Many thought of hedges as products of the Enclosure Acts of the C18th and C19th, that is, they were added to the landscape in these times - but many hedges / hedgerows (representing various boundaries) date back many centuries. There are significant differences between truly ‘ancient’ hedges and those established in more recent times.
Ancient hedges are generally species rich – in terms of the species in the herb, shrub and tree layers, and consequently rich in associated birds and insects. Ancient hedges are often associated with natural features or boundaries Read more...
