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The Living World

Living World: Native Hedgerows

Native Hedgerows

14/11/2010

BBC Radio 4 - Living World, Native Hedgerows

Lionel Kelleway heads into Devon to explore the delights of an autumnal hedgerow.

On a farm in Devon Lionel Kelleway visits hedgerow ecologist Rob Walton, where they explore the value of hedges for wildlife and search for a dormouse along the way.

Hedgerows are a unique part of the British landscape, and many in Devon are medieval in origin, some even going back as far as the Bronze Age in origin. On a farm in mid Devon, Rob Wolton a hedgerow ecologist continues the management of his hedges in the traditional way. As a result his hedges are home to a surprising number of dormice. In this programme Lionel Kelleway delights in the abundance of many native hedgerow species which he encounters along the field edges, sampling some of the fruits of autumn along the way. While walking this allows for the long held theory that a hedge can be aged by the number of individual species in it to be dispelled. 

Over centuries, many animal species have become adapted to this unique man made landscape, which itself has provided a safe wildlife corridor for those whom it shelters. And of course dotted along the hedgerows is another important wildlife habitat, hedgerow trees, which themselves can increase biodiversity of species by up to 60%.

Presented by Lionel Kelleway
Produced by Andrew Dawes.

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