Experts warn gardeners to trim their hedges now, before 1st March, or risk breaking the law — everything you need to know

If you’ve got any landscaping tasks to complete, now is the time to do it, as experts warn that cutting your hedges back after 1 March, could land you a hefty fine.

If you've been wondering, 'when should I cut my hedge back?' the answer is this week. If you leave chopping back your hedges any later you could land yourself in trouble as you could potentially be disturbing or destroying a bird's nest as we enter nesting season.

According to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, you could be faced with an unlimited fine or even imprisonment for damaging or removing a bird's nest in your garden, so it’s important to complete any tasks now. This is everything you need to know.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981

‘Birds are very specific when choosing where to nest. They mainly take cover in foliage away from predators in a safe location. These spaces are protected by law annually from 1st March to 31st August under the Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 and the European Commission Habitats Directive, and this should be considered when planning landscaping tasks that could interfere with potential nesting places,’ explains Andy McLaughlin, Landscaping Specialist at RF Paving.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act of 1981 is something to take seriously and applies to when birds are nesting on your roof, too. In recent years, The RSPB have warned bird populations are in decline in the UK, so instead we should actually be looking to attract birds to gardens.

‘The most common nesting places are trees, hedges, and hedgerows, but long grass is often overlooked as a nesting site. Therefore, if this task must be tackled, make sure it’s before nesting season,’ says Andy.

‘If you are undertaking a large-scale landscaping project and need to remove or relocate bushes, plan ahead. However, if you merely want to trim or cut back foliage that is remaining in situ, this too must be done prior to 1st March.’

It is recommended that you avoid trimming your hedge between 1 March and 31 August in case birds are nesting which you could cause harm to. Outside of this window, you can tackle your hedge as you need to.

‘There are exceptions for cutting hedges on private properties,’ says Luke Dejahang, Gardening Expert and CEO of Crown Pavilions: ‘According to the official UK government guidelines, you can cut or trim hedges during this period if:

• The hedge overhangs a motorway, road, or footpath and poses a risk to public safety.
• The hedge is obstructing the view at a junction or entrance, creating a safety hazard.
• The hedge is obstructing pedestrians or vehicles.
• The hedge is dead, diseased, or poses a risk of spreading disease to other plants.

Birds are an imporant part of our garden eco-systems which is why it's important to protect them. This is why you should cut your hedge back now, to avoid causing them any harm this nesting season.