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Hedgerow Week

Hedgerow Week 2021 – December 3rd – 10th

Understanding hedges better

The theme of Hedgerow Week is ‘Understanding Hedges Better’ and consisted of a webinar each morning from 9.30am – 10.30am with Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist. 

A variety of contributors shared their expertise and experience including Teagasc researchers, specialists and industry experts. Attendees were able to ask questions and interact with the contributors each morning. 

Hedgerow Week 2021 is a series of six webinars which commenced on Friday, December 3rd. All webinars took place from 9.30am to 10.30am.

  1. The state of Ireland’s hedgerows – Monday December 6th
  2. Biodiversity of hedges   – Tuesday December 7th
  3. Hedge cutting – Wednesday December 8th 
  4. Food from hedges – Thursday December 9th
  1. Planting hedges – Friday December 3rd 
  2. The value of native provenance trees and hedging stock and how to reduce health risks to them – Friday December 10th

Planting Hedges – Friday December 3rd 

Hedgerow Week 2021

This webinar delivered by Catherine Keena Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist dealt with planting hedges, which is currently being undertaken by farmers in REAP, the NPWS Farm Plan scheme and many EIPs.

In the near future it is expected that farmers will be planting hedges under the next Rural Development Plan, and by many wishing to improve their farms for biodiversity, climate change with the addition of stockproof hedges as valuable assets on their farms – a positive contribution to their farming legacy. 

View Catherine’s presentation here: Planting hedges (PDF)

Watch webinar recording below

The state of Ireland’s hedgerows – Monday December 6th

Hedgerow Week 2021

On Monday, 6th December, the state of Ireland’s hedgerows both quantity and quality was discussed. Catherine Keena, Countryside Management Specialist, Teagasc was joined by a panel including: Lilian O’Sullivan, Teagasc Johnstown Castle Researcher; Julie Larkin, RPS (former Teagasc PhD student); Shirley Clerkin, Heritage Officer, Monaghan County Council; Mark McDowell, Hedge Laying Association of Ireland; and Alan Moore, Hedgerows Ireland. A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar which was facilitated by Padraig Foley, Teagasc.

Watch webinar recording below

Biodiversity of hedges – Tuesday December 7th

On Tuesday, 7 December, the biodiversity of hedges was discussed. Catherine Keena, Countryside Management Specialist, Teagasc was joined by a panel including: Jesmond Harding, Butterfly Conservation Ireland; Ruth Wilson, All Ireland Pollinator Plan Farmland Pollinator Officer; and Éanna Ní Lamhna, Author, Broadcaster and Journalist to discuss how birds, bats, bees, butterflies and other wildlife use hedges. A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar which was facilitated by Andy Boland, Teagasc Environment Specialist.

View Jesmond Harding, Butterfly Conservation Ireland’s presentation here: The Importance of Hedgerows for Butterflies & Moths (PDF)  

Watch webinar recording below

Hedge cutting – Wednesday December 8th

On Wednesday, 8 December, as part of Hedgerow Week 2021, the topic of hedge cutting was discussed. Francis Quigley, Teagasc Machinery Specialist joined Catherine Keena, Countryside Management Specialist, Teagasc to host a panel discussion on hedgerow management with Tony Mullins, Cork dairy farmer who cuts his own hedges; Liam Herlihy, Limerick dairy farmer and hedge cutting contractor; Aine O’Connell, IFA Dairy Policy Executive; Denis Drennan, ICMSA and Kilkenny dairy farmer; Susan Callaghan, NPWS Divisional Ecologist; Paraic O’Brien, Cahir hedge cutting contractor; and Des & Roy Cunningham (DC Plant) hedge cutting contractor, Monaghan.

Watch webinar recording below

Food from hedges – Thursday December 9th

Hedgerow Week 2021

On Thursday, 9 December, the topic of food from hedges was discussed. Catherine Keena, Countryside Management Specialist, Teagasc was joined by a panel of foraging experts, including Regina Sexton, Food and Culinary Historian; Rosemarie Cusack, Cookery Demonstrator and Mary White, Blackstairs Eco Trails to discuss food from hedges. A questions and answers session took place at the end of the webinar, which was facilitated by Pat Murphy, Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer Department, Teagasc.

View presentations below

Watch webinar recording below

The value of native provenance trees and hedging stock and how to reduce health risks to them – Friday December 10th

Hedgerow Week 2021 

On this episode of The Signpost Series, which took place on Friday, 10 December, for the final webinar of Hedgerow Week, Pat Murphy, Head of Environment Knowledge Transfer Department, Teagasc and Catherine Keena, Teagasc Countryside Management Specialist were joined by Joe Gowran, CEO, Woodlands of Ireland and Maria Cullen, Chair of the Society of Irish Plant Pathologists (SIPP) to discuss the value of native provenance trees and hedging stock and how to reduce health risks to them.

View presentations below

Watch webinar recording below