Planting Hedgerows for the REAP Scheme

Kevin O’Hara, Education Officer, Teagasc Ballinrobe

For many farmers who joined the REAP scheme last summer, it is now time to sow a new hedgerow on their farm. These hedgerows would have been decided upon many months ago when the plan was originally drawn up so farmers may have to consult with their planner to get finalised locations and lengths required.

The importance of hedgerows was highlighted by Teagasc during national hedgerow week, which took place from 3^rd to the 10^th of December. The aim of the week was to highlight the environmental and ecological importance of the hedgerows on our farms and roadsides. There are some 689,000 kms of hedgerows in the country.  These hedgerows are measured using a very broad definition of hedgerow which includes all woody vegetation growing on a boundary ditch, from stockproof hedgerows to hedgerows that are more ornamental than stockproof.  A few interesting points to note about hedges and their geographical spread can be seen below.

• Counties around the midlands and the border tend to have the highest density of hedgerows due to having smaller fields.
• Cavan has the highest length of hedgerows per hectare.
• Counties on the western seaboard have the lowest percentage of hedges because they have large areas of open upland which isn’t enclosed and generally due to climate and soil type hedgerows and trees do not grow well in these areas.
• Counties like Donegal, Galway and South Mayo have a lot of stonewalls rather than hedgerows.

Planting a Hedgerow in REAP

So what is needed to sow a REAP approved hedgerow. The specification below is what is required by the Dept. of Agriculture, but it can also be a useful guide for anyone considering sowing a hedgerow who may not be in a scheme.

1. Prepare the ground along a 1.5m wide strip to provide good soil conditions and as little competition from other vegetation as possible.
2. Between November and March plant a double staggered row with 6 plants (2yr old whips) per metre using a mix of 6 species from the Approved species list below. (No one species should make up more than 70% of the total).
3. Identify 1 plant every 50m to be retained as a tree. This essentially means that this plant will not be cut and will be allowed to grow up and produce flowers and berries every summer and autumn which are essential for pollinators and wildlife on the farm.
4. Ensure the hedgerow is protected from livestock using an appropriate fence at least 1m out from the new hedgerow. This fence will need to be moved out further as the hedge grows and expands. The type of fencing required will depend on the types of livestock on the farm. One row of electric wire may be sufficient for cattle but on sheep farms either sheep wire or multiple lines of electric wire will be needed as sheep’s wool can be very damaging to young saplings.
5. Plants must be of a Native breed and purchased from registered producers or growers. Receipts and batch certs should be retained as these may be needed in cases of inspection. It is critical that adequate numbers of plants are purchased to meet the scheme requirements. For example, 300 plants are needed for a 50m hedgerow.
6. Keep the area free of weeds until the plants have established. This is critical in year one and two as often struggling plants will be over grown by weeds such as briars and rushes which can in turn cause them to fail. Annual weed maintenance is required until the hedgerow is fully established. Failed or dead plants have to be replaced in the following planting seasons.

Approved Species List:

Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) · Dog Rose (Rosa canina) · Guelder Rose (Viburnum opulus) · Hawthorn/Whitethorn (Crataegus monogyna) · Hazel (Corylus avellana) · Holly (Ilex aquifolium) · Spindle (Euonymous europaeus) · Bird Cherry (Prunus padus) · Crab Apple (Malus sylvestris)

For any further information consult with your REAP advisor.