'Protect every hedge, or risk losing our wildlife'

Stephen Price

The Interim Environmental Protection Assessor for Wales (IEPAW) has urged the Welsh Government to overhaul outdated laws protecting hedgerows, claiming that their continued decline is putting Wales’ biodiversity, cultural heritage and climate resilience at serious risk.

In its latest report, The Protection of Hedgerows in Wales, which was published today [17 July 2025], IEPAW’s has revealed that hedgerows, - recognised in Welsh law as a priority habitat - are increasingly vulnerable under legislation that has not kept pace with the country’s environmental goals.

According to Natural Resources Wales, just 17% of hedgerows are in good condition, with that figure falling to 2% on arable land. The loss and poor management of hedgerows threaten vital ecosystem services such as carbon storage, soil stability, wildlife connectivity and flood mitigation.

For example, hedgerows can reduce peak flows of nearby water courses following heavy rain by up to 50% and they can be important carbon sinks; there can be about 300 m3 of wood in 1 km of hedgerow which equates to 60 – 100 tonnes of carbon.

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Not fit for purpose

IEPAW’s report finds the Hedgerows Regulations 1997 are no longer fit-for-purpose. They pre-date devolution, protect only a limited number of rural hedgerows, and fail to reflect Wales’s current environmental legislation, including the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, the Well-being of Future Generations Act 2015 and the Agriculture (Wales) Act 2023.

As a result, IEPAW is calling for comprehensive legal reform in the next Senedd term. This includes a presumption in law that all hedgerows are protected unless their removal is justified, with strengthened enforcement powers and expanded safeguards for urban, cultural and non-agricultural hedgerows.

Professor Lynda Warren, Interim Environmental Protection Assessor for Wales, said: “We must stop treating hedgerows as an afterthought. They are essential to tackling the nature and climate emergencies, yet legal protection is patchy, confusing and full of loopholes.

“Despite the importance of hedgerows, no full national survey has been carried out in over 20 years - and anecdotal evidence suggests thousands of kilometres have been lost in that time. We know that 25% of hedgerows in Wales were destroyed between 1984-1990.

“Our recommendations set out a clearer, fairer system that ensures hedgerows are safeguarded for future generations.”

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Actions

From its full list of 14 recommendations, IEPAW has identified a number of actions, which would address the most significant gaps in current hedgerow protection. These include:

• Making it a criminal offence to ignore Hedgerow Replacement Notices.
• Bringing all hedgerows under the planning regime, with a requirement to consult Natural Resources Wales on removals.
• Banning the use of netting to deter nesting birds, which undermines biodiversity efforts.
• Creating a national inventory of hedgerows, potentially through the upcoming Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS).
• Providing clear guidance and financial support for farmers to manage hedgerows sustainably.

IEPAW also supports the adoption of the Hedgerow Carbon Code, which would allow farmers to earn income from biodiversity and carbon credits - a move aligned with Welsh Government goals to increase nature-based solutions to climate change.

Professor Warren added: “Protecting hedgerows isn’t just about preserving the past - it’s about investing in a greener, more resilient future. With the right legal framework and support for land managers, we can turn hedgerow protection into a real asset for communities, nature and climate.”

The publication comes as the Welsh Government prepares to roll out the Sustainable Farming Scheme in 2026, presenting a critical window to integrate stronger hedgerow protections into national agricultural policy.

The Welsh Government says: “Hedgerows are vital landscape and cultural features that play an important role in prioritising habitats and reversing biodiversity loss and we have already taken steps to create and protect hedgerows in Wales.

“We have carefully considered all of the recommendations made in the report and the IEPAW’s advice will be invaluable in assisting us to continue building on these improvements.”