Arable farming on north downs hillside fertile chalky soil freshly sown with cereal crop contrasting with cut hedgerows
Hedgerow Habitat Action Plan (HAP) Habitat Definition The original Hedgerow HAP was confined to 'ancient and/or species rich' hedges only, however, as part of the review of targets the definition for the habitat was expanded to include all hedgerows, consisting predominantly (at least 80%) of at least one native woody species of tree/shrub. This was in recognition of the fact that hedgerows are important features of the countryside and fulfill an important connectivity function. Furthermore wildlife is not restricted to species-rich hedgerows or ancient hedgerows, and as hedgerow trees are not restricted exclusively to these types either, their wildlife is more generally distributed. However, it is recognized that for some species, woody species-rich hedgerows are more likely to supply necessary resources required for certain species such as Dormouse. There is also evidence of greater small mammal abundance and greater bird species richness and abundance in woody species-rich hedgerows (Kotzageroris & Mason 1997. Macdonald & Johnson 1995. Green et al 1994). Accordingly the concept of 'species-richness' and the value of ancient hedgerows are recognised in the HAP.
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Photo credit: © Yon Marsh / Alamy / Afripics
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