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Departmental Surveys

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 March 2022

Tuesday, 8 March 2022

Questions (258)

Matt Carthy

Question:

258. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total length of hedgerows in the State, in kilometres and hectares by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12570/22]

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Written answers

My Department does not have overall responsibility for hedgerow surveys. Teagasc, however, has undertaken hedgerow mapping on a national scale, and while no comprehensive national survey has been carried out to date, a number of Local Authorities have commissioned hedgerow surveys at county level.

According to the Teagasc website, in 2020, there were an estimated 689,000 kms of hedgerow in the country using a very broad definition of hedgerow, which includes all woody vegetation growing on a boundary from stockproof hedgerows to relict hedgerows. Hedgerow length varies across the country. Counties around the midlands and the border tend to have the highest density of hedgerows with smaller fields. Cavan has the highest length of hedgerows per hectare. Counties on the western seaboard have the lowest percentage because they have areas of open upland that aren't enclosed. Also, counties like Donegal and Galway have a lot of stonewalls rather than hedgerows. 

Further information on the work of Teagasc in this area can be accessed on the following link: www.teagasc.ie/news--events/daily/environment/mapping-irish-hedgerows.php.

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