Offaly environmental campaigner hits out at excessive hedgecutting

AN Offaly environmental campaigner has said that excessive hedgecutting is “ecological vandalism”.

Tom Roche condemned what he said appears to be “excessive and brute force” which is often used on “a critical and valuable natural ecosystem that contributes enormously to our economic, social and environmental development”.

Tullamore native Mr Roche, founder of the environment and justice organisation Just Forests, made his statement after seeing the results of hedgecutting while driving between the county town and his home in Rhode.

“For decades Ireland’s hedgerows have been decimated by intensive and industrialised agriculture, ever expanding dairy farming, road widening, motorway expansion and house building. This has had enormous negative impact on Ireland’s unique biological diversity of flora and fauna,” said Mr Roche.

“Our hedgerows act as a network of wildlife enhancing corridors. This network of healthy natural corridors enables wildlife to breed and reproduce and to move freely from one area to another in search of food and other wildlife supporting services. In recent times, I have seen some excellent and ecologically-sensitive examples of hedgerow cutting in the Offaly region, unfortunately I also see that the destruction of our existing hedgerows continues and must be addressed.”

He said he was shocked to see what appeared to him to be a “very destructive attempt at hedgerow management” along one half-kilometre stretch of roadside.

He said the hedge had been decimated and possible rendered unsuitable for the approaching bird nesting season.

Hedgecutting must cease on February 28 and by law cannot resume until September 1 next.

Mr Roche added: “Considering the fact that Ireland has the lowest forest cover in the EU (only 11% of our land is covered in trees) our hedgerows are of all the more importance as a source of Offaly’s unique biodiversity. Our hedgerows act as essential corridors of biological diversity and provide natural shelter from the wind for wildlife (including pollinators), shelter for agriculture animals and act as sinks for carbon sequestration. It is not unusual (although it is becoming much rarer) to see a number of different tree species such as ash, beech, hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, holly, sycamore and at times, oak, all growing in close proximity to each other-just as nature intended.

“Our hedgerows are also of huge heritage significance to us as they were used back in the 17th and 18th centuries to define parish boundaries and field boundaries.”

He said that though Teagasc and the IFA appear to be tackling the problem, Ireland's hedgerows remain under severe pressure.

Mr Roche also cited official statistics which pointed to Ireland's high livestock to human population ratio.

According to 2020 figures, Ireland had a human population of just over five million, but it had 7.3 million cattle, 5.5 million sheep, 1.6 million pigs and almost 16.5 million poultry. At the same time, farm sizes were increasing.

The environmental campaigner stated: “Animal agriculture is the number one cause of Ireland’s declining water quality (EPA report). And has contributed considerably to the decimation of Ireland’s hedgerows and the species of flora and fauna that depends on them. Worldwide, animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean 'dead zones', and virtually every other environmental ill.

“Yet it goes on, almost entirely unchallenged. Ecosystem restoration and the sound stewardship of nature is urgently needed. However, it can only be successful, in the long term, in the context of a serious transition to a wider socio-economy, where people’s health comes before profits and nature-positive economics before vested corporate interests. We must stop profiting from environmental destruction. This can be done by dissociating economic growth from unsustainable use of natural resources and ecosystem destruction. We must also detoxify food production and decarbonise economic activity by reducing fossil fuel dependency. Ireland has a major role to play in this transition.”

He referred to a statement from Catherine Keena, Teagasc countryside management specialist last year, who said farmers will be planting hedges under the next Rural Development Plan and will see the addition of stockproof hedges as valuable valuable assets on their farms and a positive contribution to their farming legacy.

Mr Roche concluded: “The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is now in its second year. It was launched on June 5, World Environment Day 2021. Held every year, World Environment Day is the most important date on the calendar for celebrating our environment and ramping up global efforts to protect the planet. Personally, I believe everyday is a day we must ramp up efforts to save our source of life - nature. As the world picks up speed in its race to deal with the impacts of climate change let’s appreciate and cherish the significance of Ireland’s unique habitat: that is the humble, yet majestic hedgerow, and let all involved in their management do better to ensure they are there for the next generation and generations to come. It's up to each and everyone of us to make sure this happens.”