Alan Moore from the Tipperary-based Hedgerows Ireland group is drawing attention to important changes to the rules around hedgerow removal that were introduced by the Department of Agriculture last year and which have implications for all landowners in receipt of BISS (Basic Income Support for Sustainability Scheme).
In addition to the requirement on landowners to pre-plant twice the proposed removal length of hedge, the rules now state that hedges "cannot be removed apart from in certain limited circumstances." These excepted circumstances are clearly outlined under three headings: Building work, Road Safety issues, and Farm Safety issues. In all three circumstances, the exemption is limited to the minimum length necessary.
The handbook specifically states that "removing a hedge or landscape feature between two fields is not considered an exceptional circumstance" and goes on to explain that established landscape features have a greater value in providing wildlife habitats, biodiversity and carbon sequestration relative to those that are newly established.
Where hedges are removed under these exceptional circumstances, it is mandatory for twice the pre-planted length to be re-planted in the vicinity of the removal, within the same holding where the feature was removed. They only replace like with like meaning for example that woody hedgerow species used to replace a hedge must be of the same woody hedge species.
The amended regulations are outlined in the Explanatory Handbook on Conditionality which can be found on the Teagasc website.