Council keeps borough beautiful and protects wildlife during hedge cutting schedule

Autumn has arrived and Cheshire West and Chester Council has planned hedge maintenance works to keep the borough neat and beautiful, while also protecting wildlife.

Hedge cutting continues through the autumn and winter months, with over 83,000 metres of hedge being cut on council-owned land.

No hedge cutting takes place between 1 March and 31 August, except where it is necessary to ensure public safety.  Birds are actively nesting at this time and it is an offence under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981), to intentionally damage or destroy the nest of any wild bird while it is being used or built.

The Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, Councillor Karen Shore said: “As well as our programmed cutting of hedges, we undertake some reactive cutting where inspections indicate that safety is being compromised, for example if a motorist cannot see around a bend safely because their view is blocked.

“Hedgerows were originally designed to keep animals in or out of fields and to mark ownership boundaries. They are now also appreciated for their cultural and historical associations and great importance for wildlife.

“Teams will be working very hard to maintain our beautiful borough in the coming weeks.”

Not all cutting is undertaken by the Council.  Most hedge cutting along the highway is done by the adjacent land owner (often farmers).  For more information about trees, woods and hedges on private land, please visit the trees, woods and hedges page on the council website.

 The Council’s Love Your Streets campaign sets out a shared commitment with local residents to maintain a clean and attractive environment.  If you have hedges or trees on your property, please regularly check to see it is not overgrown and causing an obstruction on the pavement for passers-by.