Which nestboxes can you put up for birds in your garden? When can you trim hedges without disturbing wildlife? And how can you help your local hedgehogs?
We discuss these questions and more in this short video.
If you'd like to find out more about some of the topics we talk about, here are some handy links:
RSPB nestboxes
Make your own birdbox
Make a nestbox for swifts
Build a hedgehog home
In this video we discuss hedge cutting - here's some additional information:
Hedges are an important source of food for wildlife in the colder months, as well as a place to hibernate and roost. Where hedgerows don’t need to undergo necessary maintenance, we always encourage leaving them as they are, as this maximises the amount of food and shelter available for wildlife over Autumn and winter.
When cutting hedges on a large scale, we often recommend rotational cutting, where a third of the hedgerow is cut each year on a three-year rotation. This means that the hedgerow gets maintained regularly, whilst at least two thirds of it remain berrying and un-maintained every year. This could be equally effective in gardens, where certain hedges/sections of one hedge could be maintained on a rotational basis, so that there is always food and shelter available for the birds and other wildlife.
Maintenance can be essential to the health of hedgerows, but it is very difficult to pick a time of year to do so without having an impact on wildlife, as they provide year-round benefits to so many species. However it is important to note that cutting during the breeding season can cause considerable distress to nesting birds, and may constitute a criminal offence in some cases. We therefore advise that it’s generally best to perform any essential hedge maintenance outside of the breeding season.
If you’d like to find out more about the importance of hedgerows, wildlife-friendly gardening practices and much more, some of the below webpages may be of interest to you:
- The value of hedgerows for wildlife: https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/conservation/conservation-and-sustainability/advice/conservation-land-management-advice/farm-hedges/the-value-of-hedgerows-for-wildlife/
- Plants for wildlife - garden hedges: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/gardening-for-wildlife/plants-for-wildlife/garden-hedges/
- ‘Leave those leaves!’ – Notes on Nature TV: https://youtu.be/2fC_I1pEDIE