CUTTING HEDGES AND burning land are forbidden from today as the annual summer ban comes into force.

Cutting, burning or otherwise destroying “vegetation growing in any hedge or ditch” between 1 March and 31 August is prohibited under the Wildlife Act 1976.

The ban is in place each summer to protect biodiversity for animal habitats, particularly to avoid disturbance to the nesting sites of wild bird species.

Suspected breaches of the ban investigated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service and gardaí.

Minister of State for Heritage Malcolm Noonan said the NPWS is “deploying extensive aerial and on-the-ground surveillance” from today.

An investigation on hedge cutting policy published by Noteworthy revealed that at least 3,000km of hedges were cut back by local authorities between 2018 and 2021 during the prohibited season.

Nearly all cases were carried out on road safety grounds, although authorities were unable to provide Noteworthy with documents on road safety assessments carried out.

Records released to Noteworthy show that the NPWS brought 88 successful prosecutions between 2007 and 2020 for illegal hedge cutting or removal.

Guilty parties collectively paid nearly €58,000 in fines, costs and donations to charities.

The Noteworthy team also wants to examine why burning in the uplands is going unpunished. Support this project here.