10 APRIL 2023 HEDGEROWS

One of the many things that I loved about England when I visited there, was the miles and miles of rolling green hills and hedgerows. Here in America, we have an endless array of fences. Fences line our highways, our farms, and our ranches. Tall chain link fences topped with barbed wire or electric fencing, surround numerous buildings, especially high security government or military institutions. We have border walls to keep out immigrants. Most of our houses have fenced back yards; and some even have fences in the front yards. We have fences around our school playgrounds; and we even have “gated” communities. Many of the fences portray signs saying “keep out” or “no trespassing.” It seems that the more human beings that crowd onto this tiny planet of ours, the more inclined we are to isolate ourselves from one another.

The styles and materials of which fences are made, are endless. We have numerous wood fences, vinyl fences, wrought iron fences, and bamboo fences, to name a few. We have stacked stone walls and brick walls. The problem with all of these fences is that, along with the parcelization of land, wildlife is unable to move freely from one area to another. This inhibits their ability to find food and water; and it often results in their death from having to cross our dangerous highways. If it is a female animal, she often leaves behind her orphaned offspring.

I would love nothing more than to see our fences replaced with hedgerows. Hedgerows are vitally important as ecosystems, providing habitat that rivals that of forests. They serve as shelter and shade, as a food source, and as a corridor for animals and insects to travel from place to place. The more diverse the plants that make up the hedgerow, the more benefit they provide. The plant life contained within them also stores carbon, which is hugely important as we battle global warming. Hedgerows help to prevent erosion and to slow down the flow of water. Best of all, they are lovely to look at.

Many people panicked during the pandemic a couple of years ago. The disruption in supply chains and the resulting empty grocery store shelves had them truly worried and afraid. Some of them grew gardens for the first time. A surprising amount of food can be grown in a small space. Planting fruit trees, fruit bearing shrubs, and vines within a hedgerow can provide food for wildlife and for us. Perhaps it is time we stop looking at the plantings in our yards merely as “ornamental.” If we are fortunate enough to have a small yard of our own, we can grow an edible hedgerow and share it with our neighbor. There really is no reason why any of us should go hungry. If we give back to Mother Earth, by caring for her soil, plants, and seeds, she will provide us with a bounty of food.