Hedgerows for Wildlife and Naturalized Adventure

Hedgerows are rows of trees or shrubs forming a naturalized corridor. These landscape lattices have been used for centuries in Europe, and more recently in the Western world to divide agricultural fields or residential properties. Hedgerows should not be confused with hedges, which are commonly used in landscaping. A hedge is usually a single row of shrubs or trees evenly spaced and either sheared or pruned to their natural form. A hedgerow is often composed of several plant species and is much more appealing to wildlife users than a monoculture would be. Hedgerows should be at least five feet wide, and with trees may become thirty or more feet wide. They are much more robust than hedges, and become landmarks with time.

Over the course of the twentieth century, hedgerows often fell victim to practices espousing a formal appearance, large farm equipment needing maneuvering space, and suburban development. This significantly decreased the meadow - woods edge wildlife habitat available on most farms. Quail and grouse populations moved away or dissipated.  Similarly, the suburban back yard often becomes a sterile environment struggling to reestablish natural processes in a disturbed subsoil gradient.

Traditionally, hedgerows were planted or grew up along fence rows and property boundaries to help manage livestock, and for other purposes. Hedgerows kept or rejuvenated can provide food and cover for nesting and wintering birds and small mammals. Thickets of brier and other thick vines offer excellent nesting sites and escape cover from predators. Laid-over trees often resprout and bind the weave together more securely. The natural tangle hedgerows afford frequently nurture fruit, seeds, nectar, and insects for native birds, pollinators, and mammals.

Forsythia quince hedge: This back fence hedge is gathering more species as birds drop seeds of their favorite foods along the fence. As the fence declines, the hedgerow develops. Photo by Scott Sjolander, Penn State University.

Hedgerows benefit humans by slowing wind, controlling soil erosion, muffling noise, creating privacy screens, and adding color and life to the landscape. Establishing or maintaining a hedgerow on your property can provide a corridor connecting habitat blocks like wooded areas, shrublands, or meadows. Bare root stock or container grown trees and shrub can be planted for a screen more quickly than larger stock, with the trade-off of taking an additional year to catch up in size. To achieve the desired density more quickly, plant closer together than their mature crown width. As they grow together, the competition for light will cause some to die out, and thinning will be necessary. An overgrown fence row presents a head start on establishment. You can just allow native plants to grow up or plant selected native fruit producing shrubs. As your hedgerow becomes less monolithic, birds will drop seeds of their favorite foods. As it matures, watch for invasive noxious plants and control them as they become apparent.

Native shrub hedgerows will attract many different songbirds, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. Useful plants in a hedgerow include shrub dogwood, sumac, viburnums, bayberry, chokeberry, winterberry, elderberry, American holly, Atlantic White Cedar, Arborvitae, and Eastern red-cedar. Planting a variety of plants will offer more food and cover at varied times, and will guard against disease or pests eliminating the entire population. Evergreens are important additions to any hedgerow, as they offer protection from thermal stress during the winter months and provide winter beauty.

Locust hedge: The black locusts along this back fence provide blossoms for pollinators as well as decaying trunks for birds and small mammals. Photo by Scott Sjolander, Penn State University

Before planting in your hedgerow, study your property to determine which plants will grow best on site. You will want to consider average soil moisture along with the amount of sun or shade your hedgerow will receive before choosing plants. You may want to regularly remove some or all tall-growing trees, depending on your desire to maintain low sun-loving-fruit-bearing shrubs. This can be accomplished by occasional tree cutting, and you can stack the wood as wildlife brush piles or use it otherwise.

Make your hedgerow your own, to meet your objectives. A runaway fence row makes a great start on accomplishing this end. It’s a great time to “talk over the fence” with your neighbor about this idea. After all, your neighbor is having a similar experience. He or she may be very open to letting natural corridors develop as they have started. Discuss the end you have in mind. This is not only an opportunity to assist a natural habitat; it may be a time to grow closer as friends in providing a natural setting acceptable to both, and a place for young ones to encounter a naturalized world. Hedgerows are slower than fences to erect, but will provide long-lasting enjoyment and benefits.

Adapted from an original article by Andi Pupke.

Resources

Brzuszek, Robert F. Using Hedgerows on Properties. Mississippi State University Extension. Accessed on 4/30/2020 at 7:32 am

Lavoipierre, Frederique. Hedgerows as Habitat. Pacific Horticulture Society. Newsletter. April, 2013 Issue. Accessed on 4/30/2021 at 8:04 am

List, Holly. Hedgerows for the Home Garden. Penn State Extension Master Gardener. Accessed on 4/30/2021 at 8:30 am.

Pupki, Andi. Hedgerows for Wildlife. Pennsylvania Urban and Community Forestry Council. Urban Forestry News, Vol. 17., Issue. 1, Fall 2010.