Spring is coming!
The month of March marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The vegetation is beginning to emerge from its winter torpor and gardeners feel the need to use pruning shears, hedge trimmers, spades, etc. after this long period of inactivity.
Spring is indeed a good time to clean the gardenpreparing plots for future plantings, carrying out seedlings and pruning certain shrubs.
But we must not forget that the arrival of spring also marks the start of the nesting and breeding period for birds for many other species. This means that if you trim your hedges or prune your trees at this time, you risk disturbing them. To preserve this animal world, recommendations are thus issued, not to mention that it is also a question of ecological common sense, which we will see below.
Why are hedges so important?
You are probably far from imagining the extent of the local fauna that your hedges shelter, whether in terms of birds, insects, small mammals, reptiles, etc.
They thus constitute valuable reservoirs of biodiversity.
Furthermore, it must be remembered that in 1960, the hedges were largely decimated during agricultural consolidation, which resulted in the fact that approximately 32% of breeding bird species are threatened with extinction according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
It is therefore urgent to avoid dislodging this fauna during reproduction or nesting periods. To do this, nothing could be simpler, you must ensure that preserve the natural habitat of these animals by pruning trees and trimming hedges outside of these periods to give birds and other animals the peace and security they need.
If you do not have hedges, you can consider installing one, making sure to choose plants that promote biodiversity. Certain departments and regions participate in the “Plantons des Haies” program and offer financial assistance. To find out if you can benefit from it, remember to inquire at the town hall of your place of residence.
When should you avoid trimming your hedge(s)?
Gardeners ask themselves many questions regarding the size of their plants. Indeed, depending on their species and variety, it is necessary to prune trees, shrubs and others at the right time. so as not to risk compromising their flowering or harming them.
Likewise, it is essential that every gardener take into consideration the ecosystem which includes its plants so as not to disturb it and this involves protecting the birds during their nesting period. To this end, the League for the Protection of Birds (LPO) and the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) recommend that individuals do not trim garden hedges from March 15 to July 31.
What the law says
Concerning individuals, French legislation does not include any legal text stipulating dates on which it would be authorized or prohibited to trim hedges.
Nevertheless, the recommendation of the period of stopping hedge trimming from March 15 to July 31 is issued by the LPO, as well as by the public establishment which, placed under the supervision of the ministries responsible for ecology and agriculture, deals with the protection and restoration of biodiversity in mainland France and overseas, the French Biodiversity Office (OFB).
But it is not the same for farmers: they are prohibited from trimming their hedges from March 16 to August 15 if they want to continue to benefit from the aid paid to them under the Common Agricultural Policy ( PAC).
Beyond the law, hedge trimming and tree pruning are subject to other regulations:
- The Civil Code : it establishes rules relating to joint ownership.
- The Town Planning Code : each municipality may have specific rules. It is then up to you to inquire at the town hall.
- The Rural Code.
- Prefectural decrees: certain prefects may issue orders prohibiting the pruning of trees and hedges during this period.
Depending on where you live, it is therefore important to find out beforehand, especially if you are considering removing a hedge. In any case, be aware that if you destroy or damage the habitat of protected species, under article L415-3 of the Environmental Code, you are guilty of an offense and incur penalties that may reach 2 years of imprisonment and a fine of €150,000.
Other good reasons to avoid spring pruning
Beyond the important problem of preserving local fauna, spring is not the best time to prune your shrubs for other reasons:
- Spring is a period of intense growth for plants. This means that if you prune your trees and shrubs during this period, you risk slowing down their development. You can therefore just carry out the pollarding of a few shoots in order to encourage branching of the branches.
- In addition, the sap being in full rise during this period, pruned plants will be more sensitive to still possible frost episodes in the coming weeks, without forgetting that diseases, as well as parasites, will be able to develop more easily.
The right actions to adopt
- Simply carry out gentle pruning which will be more respectful of the shrub or tree, and of the environment. In fact, this type of pruning will be less taxing on your plants.
- Choose sharp tools so as not to risk shredding the branches.
- Use pruning shears. Indeed, tools that are too noisy risk frightening wildlife.
- Prefer pruning in autumn or at the end of winter depending on the plants.