After years of neglect and modern agricultural practices, culminating in a government subsidy that actually paid farmers to rip out hedges, less than half that length remains today. Farmland birds suffered as a consequence, particularly grey partridges, song thrushes, linnets, bullfinches and corn buntings. In recent years, though, farmers and government have realized hedgerows' worth. In 1989, the government reversed its old policy and began to pay subsidies for planting and maintaining hedges. In 1997, it introduced The Hedgerow Regulations, which made unauthorized destruction of hedgerows a criminal offence.
Badgers find a home in hedgerows.
Just when it seemed that hedgerows may begin to flourish again, the European Union's arable payments scheme threatened their widespread elimination. The policy led to heavy protests in environmental protection circles and the British press, who claimed that the European Union was forcing British farmers, for the sake of agricultural use, to cut down hedges. Intense lobbying by the UK's National Farmers' Union and the Ministry of Agriculture culminated in European Agriculture Commissioner Franz Fischler announcing Monday that British hedgerows are safe under the arable payments scheme. Intensive modern agriculture enabled many farmers to replace pastures with crops, and large agricultural machinery made small fields impractical. The Commission has made a major effort to find a clear legislative solution.