Farmers are the worst. They either rip the hedge rows to pieces or out altogether. We are in a hard frost at the moment and they are cutting down hedges taking what little food is left.
This is a great illustration of the 2nd Order Effects people don't ever think about. Hedgerows used to be common and valued, but then people clamored for something called a "minimum wage" and that drove the price of labor up through the roof. Average farmers couldn't afford to have someone come around to tend the hedgerows, and now you have to get a "grant" from the government to tend the things! No value to the thickets? Oh, I wouldn't tell the bodgers and colliers that! The problem is that the folks around the area choose to buy mass-produced goods from a big box store rather than the handmade goods from a local craftsman. Of course, the cost of that craftsman's work is driving up considerably because of those things the people voted for - every new tax, law, and regulation adding to the cost of doing business and the price of goods sold. Used to be that every village in the land had craftsmen working the woods to make products for the village. Stools and chairs and fences and spoons and troughs.... the hedgerows were a resource that was prized, a place for the children to learn from their fathers. Now, folks only see them as a 'wildlife corridor'. Kinda sad that such a keystone element of British Culture has been lost.
Sadly in many cases this is not the best approach. In many environments we have impacted nature so significantly through introduction of invasive species and degrading it so much that it is impractical to leave nature to do its own thing. Rather we have to establish initially protected lands before we allow nature to run its course again.
@@tristanbarton2959 No argument that a vast amount of damage has been done and is still being done. But if anything from our knowledge of geology, ecology and biology is obvious, it is that - and I know this quotes Jurassic Park - nature always finds a way. For myself, as a farmer (West Wales), the obvious solution to the damage that has been done is twofold. Firstly, any building / development or whatever on greenfield sites should be matched by an addition of equal size to the nearest national park, at the cost of the developer, be it private or public. Second, recognise that most farms aren't owned by the very rich and many are on the breadline. After centuries of being asked to farm more efficiently, they are now being told to farm inefficiently - and to feed the urban population that dictates to them and at a loss to themselves... Tell a teacher or nurse or bus driver that they have to reduce their income for whatever reason and see what it gets you. So it makes sense to allow farmers to make a living AND help the environment at the same time. And the only way to do that is to have permanent 'islands', linked by rough land or hedges around the farm. I have corners of fields that are a pain to farm, but which are great for nature, so they are fenced off and never entered unless to repair the fence or maybe retrieve a lamb. No loss to me really, no cost barring fencing it and maintaining the fence, great benefit to our wild friends. I don't claim ANY subsidy for anything, so have no time for the self-righteous telling me I owe this or have a duty to whatever. Of course we ALL have a duty to the world as a whole and to our and others' children. But being told that 'the badgers / voles / newts were there first' is nauseating, they were EVERYWHERE first, but we don't see the urban whiners calling for the demolition and rewilding of their workplaces, schools hospitals or homes for the benefit of said wildlife. Hypocrites. Sorry for the length of this, but the message can't be conveyed in a handful of words. 🙂
Farmers are the worst. They either rip the hedge rows to pieces or out altogether. We are in a hard frost at the moment and they are cutting down hedges taking what little food is left.
This is a great illustration of the 2nd Order Effects people don't ever think about. Hedgerows used to be common and valued, but then people clamored for something called a "minimum wage" and that drove the price of labor up through the roof. Average farmers couldn't afford to have someone come around to tend the hedgerows, and now you have to get a "grant" from the government to tend the things!
No value to the thickets? Oh, I wouldn't tell the bodgers and colliers that! The problem is that the folks around the area choose to buy mass-produced goods from a big box store rather than the handmade goods from a local craftsman. Of course, the cost of that craftsman's work is driving up considerably because of those things the people voted for - every new tax, law, and regulation adding to the cost of doing business and the price of goods sold. Used to be that every village in the land had craftsmen working the woods to make products for the village. Stools and chairs and fences and spoons and troughs.... the hedgerows were a resource that was prized, a place for the children to learn from their fathers. Now, folks only see them as a 'wildlife corridor'. Kinda sad that such a keystone element of British Culture has been lost.
If you want an area to be natural, just leave it alone, and wait... 👍
Sadly in many cases this is not the best approach. In many environments we have impacted nature so significantly through introduction of invasive species and degrading it so much that it is impractical to leave nature to do its own thing. Rather we have to establish initially protected lands before we allow nature to run its course again.
@@tristanbarton2959 No argument that a vast amount of damage has been done and is still being done. But if anything from our knowledge of geology, ecology and biology is obvious, it is that - and I know this quotes Jurassic Park - nature always finds a way. For myself, as a farmer (West Wales), the obvious solution to the damage that has been done is twofold. Firstly, any building / development or whatever on greenfield sites should be matched by an addition of equal size to the nearest national park, at the cost of the developer, be it private or public. Second, recognise that most farms aren't owned by the very rich and many are on the breadline.
After centuries of being asked to farm more efficiently, they are now being told to farm inefficiently - and to feed the urban population that dictates to them and at a loss to themselves... Tell a teacher or nurse or bus driver that they have to reduce their income for whatever reason and see what it gets you.
So it makes sense to allow farmers to make a living AND help the environment at the same time. And the only way to do that is to have permanent 'islands', linked by rough land or hedges around the farm. I have corners of fields that are a pain to farm, but which are great for nature, so they are fenced off and never entered unless to repair the fence or maybe retrieve a lamb. No loss to me really, no cost barring fencing it and maintaining the fence, great benefit to our wild friends.
I don't claim ANY subsidy for anything, so have no time for the self-righteous telling me I owe this or have a duty to whatever. Of course we ALL have a duty to the world as a whole and to our and others' children. But being told that 'the badgers / voles / newts were there first' is nauseating, they were EVERYWHERE first, but we don't see the urban whiners calling for the demolition and rewilding of their workplaces, schools hospitals or homes for the benefit of said wildlife. Hypocrites.
Sorry for the length of this, but the message can't be conveyed in a handful of words.
🙂