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An absorbing celebration of the ecology, biology and cultural history of the rich hedgerow heritage in the British Isles.
Much of the UK is intensively farmed, and in such landscapes hedges are often the only refuge for wildlife. In addition to providing shelter, protection and food for animals, they also connect and bind together the patches of habitat that do remain, as well as playing vital roles in soil conservation and flood prevention – in short, they are vital for nature's recovery.
In Hedges, Robert Wolton brings together decades of research, while also incorporating personal experiences from his farm in Devon, to explore the ecology, nature conservation and wider environmental values of our hedges. From improving water quality and producing wood fuel as a renewable energy source to the use of hedges in boosting crop pollination, this engaging and authoritative book will help to inspire people to value and look after the remarkably rich hedgerow heritage we have in the British Isles.
Containing more than 300 photographs and figures, this latest addition to the British Wildlife Collection is a comprehensive commentary on hedges and our relationship with them.
Preface 6
Acknowledgements 10
1. The ever-useful hedge 12
2. What counts as a hedge? 20
3. Origins and history 38
4. Post-war losses, current extent and condition 60
5. Reservoirs of life 80
6. Wildlife highways 112
7. The shrub layer 126
8. Hedgerow trees 144
9. Bottoms, banks, margins and ditches 168
10. The multi-purpose hedge – traditional uses 194
11. Soil conservation, cleaner water, less flooding 212
12. Crop pollination and pest control 224
13. Carbon capture and storage 250
14. Hedges for wood fuel 270
15. Hedge management 292
16. Looking ahead 354
Appendix A Key results from 33 local hedge surveys in England, 2006–2010 362
Appendix B Trees and shrubs that are native in Britain or probable archaeophytes 372
Appendix C Priority species signifcantly associated with hedges in the UK 374
Appendix D Species names 377
Further reading 382
References 383
Illustration credits 392
Index 393
Robert Wolton is an ecological consultant and writer specialising in the management of farmland and associated habitats for wildlife. Robert is a former hedgerow specialist for Natural England, and he has been actively involved in Hedgelink since its inception. He is also the founder and chair of the Devon Hedge Group. Robert is the author of multiple reports and articles on hedges for a range of organisations and publications, and he was the editor and lead author of Devon Hedges.
"Robert Wolton is one of those rare people who combines a scientific understanding of ecology with highly pertinent practical experience plus an ability to communicate in an engaging way. This book reflects the man and his personal experience as a farmer and expert who has led government delivery of farm-advice programmes across England and has been a leading light in the organisation Hedgelink. It is extremely well written, with 16 logically sequenced chapters full of referenced research, practical examples – often with personal anecdotes – and many photographs and diagrams that beautifully illustrate the narrative. [...] a thoroughly well-written, illustrated and researched book is a joy to read and should be mandatory reading for every countryside worker and land manager."
– Clive Bealey, British Wildlife 35(8), August 2024
