e-Digest Statistics about: Land Use and Land Cover
Countryside Survey 2000
Linear Landscape Features
Hedges, walls, fences and other boundary features are an integral part of the British landscape; they provide important habitats for many animal and plant species and they also act as an important barrier against soil erosion and loss. They can also act as corridors for dispersal for some species and help maintain biodiversity. There are an estimated 1.8 million kilometres of linear landscape features in the UK. For Great Britain, although CS1990 revealed a net loss of field boundaries, in particular of hedges, between 1984 and 1990 as a result of agricultural and other types of development, the results of CS2000 indicate that these declines have now been halted.
Table 14 shows the estimated stock of linear features in 1998 for Great Britain and the change in stock from 1990-1998. There was an overall increase in the length of linear features and no significant loss of hedgerows in that period. This is a reflection of the shift in balance between hedge removal and planting, hedge restoration and damage and wall removal and reconstruction.
The reversal in the loss of boundary and linear features is a result of a number of initiatives. Grant schemes have been introduced to encourage the creation and restoration of hedgerows and walls. Statutory controls have been placed on the removal of important hedgerows and ancient and/or species rich hedgerows were included as a Priority Habitat in the UK Biodiversity Action Plan in 1995. The targets are to halt the loss of all such hedgerows by 2005 and achieve favourable management of 50 per cent of these hedgerows by the same date. It is also likely that the decline in the profitability of farming and subsequently less intensive farming and land improvement has resulted in the preservation of some boundary features. See Chart 14
Further Information:
- Data Tables: 14 Estimates of stock of linear landscape features: 1998, change in linear landscape features: 1990-1998 XLS
- Chart 14 Hedgerow length: 1984-1998 XLS
- Internet Links:
- Centre for Ecology and Hydrology: Land Cover Map (LCM2000)
- Countryside Survey 2000
- References, further reading and links to other resources:
- [7] Barr, C.,, (1993). Countryside Survey 1990: Main Report. Countryside 1990 Series, Volume 2. DETR, London.
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Page last modified: 16 September 2003
Page published: 10 September 2003