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Cutting down hedgerows

Aidjax
18/04/2019 21:40

i live in the village of Puriton, Somerset. The last few days Sedgemoor council have allowed contractors to remove hedgerows in preparation for a new road. As of today 18/04/2019 they are still removing the hedgerows, with no care for the bird wildlife that are nesting and may have fledglings. Can they actually do this and if not who do I contact to report what is happening 

  • 18/04/2019 22:08
    No it is certainly not allowed to cut down hedges this time of the year, I believe it is the Town and Countryside Act that prohibits the disturbance of birds in the nesting season. Not sure who to contact but have you a local environment officer in your area? In my area on Anglesey the farmers are given a date by which they have to do all their cutting back and will incur a large fine if they do so afterwards.
  • 19/04/2019 06:46
    The Birds & Wildlife Act 1981 makes it an offence to disturb birds that are actually nesting, so they may be in breach of that act - although you'd have to have proof I suspect, or they'll simply say they checked and there were no nests (unlikely as that may seem). Some councils have taken to netting trees and hedgerows over the winter time specifically so they can be removed as necessary for building work without falling foul of the law
  • 19/04/2019 21:04
    Some councils have taken to netting trees and hedgerows over the winter time specifically so they can be removed as necessary for building work without falling foul of the law.

    What a sorry state of affairs for this green and pleasant land we used to live in:(

    Thanks for enlightening me Joe.
  • 20/04/2019 21:00

    I deeply saddened to say, it's a sign of the times.

    Once again, officialdom dictating that we're not being environmentally friendly, and yet they go and desecrate the countryside and wonder why the bird and animal life is becoming scarce!