Page 15 - Free State Spring 2023_WEB

IT'S TIME FOR SHARING A Jerry Faulring

The History of Hedgerows and

Hedges

The finest Taxus and Boxwood in the industry or all my life I saw hedge rows and hedges as growing at the field edges as they know shade will reduce
crop yield while increasing risks for unwanted outcomes.
just something in the landscape; landscape
and so much more. Fmeaning the natural landscape and the developed Hedgerows are often seen growing over a raised earthen
landscape. I didn’t pay much attention.
berm. In Roman times in France, soil “walls” were built to
Hedgerows can include what we commonly refer to as delineate fields. Overtime this wall became home to trees,
‘fence rows’, volunteer trees and shrubs growing along shrubs, and plants.
fences which are for the most part property boundaries. Hedgerows in England and Ireland can be seen growing
They are evident throughout the countryside. One thing over earthen or combination earthen and stone walls.
we don’t consider is their ability to support wildlife and A few years ago, I visited Ireland as a tourist and was
insects that can be of great benefit to our ecosystem. fascinated by their use of stone walls, hedgerows, and
Some European countries forbid the removal and, in hedges. In Medieval times, Ireland cleared the land of
some cases, the improper maintenance of hedgerows to forests for lumber and firewood and converted it for
encourage wildlife. agricultural use. Hedgerows and hedges initially served
Miss Kim Lilac Hedgerows to define “town lands”. Over time, they served to define

Historically significant, hedgerows date back to the property borders and provide living fences for domestic
Spirea Tor
neolithic age – 4,000 to 6,000 years ago. They were (continued on next page)
initially established by
clearing forested land to
make way for agricultural
crops. The land was cleared
in small plots of 15 to 25 acres
with the perimeter trees and

Cornus Florida shrubs left in place to act as
windbreaks, provide shade
Purple Passion Rhododendron and wildlife habitat, prevent
wind and water erosion,

Sugar Maple create living fences to contain
domestic animals and more.
The photo above shows a
See modern hedge row grown in
Availability North Dakota. Its goal should
List on our seem obvious: to prevent
another dust bowl. Some
website! farmers work hard to prevent

FairviewEvergreen.com trees and shrubs from
Modern hedge rows in North Dakota
7463 W
7463 West Ridge Rd. P.O. Box 189 Fairview PA 16415 800.458.2234 e-mail: info@FairviewEvergreen.com
info@FairviewEvergreen.com
est Ridge Rd. P
A 16415 800.458.2234 e-mail:
.O. Box 189 Fairview P
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