As well as trees in woodland habitats, trees in hedgerows are significant features of our landscape. Trees which have grown to full size in a hedgerow are called standard trees.
Hedgerow trees are ecologically important. Because they are growing in an open setting they are more likely to become ancient because they have less competition for light and nutrients from younger trees, as they would in a woodland setting. As they age they provide important habitat niches for specialist species of fungi, invertebrates and lichens in addition to nesting and roosting and hiding places for bats, birds and mammals. Some species depend on cavities, dead and decaying wood and flaking bark.
On Magog Down there are some established standard trees within hedges on the perimeter path. In addition some trees have been planted alongside the established hedges which will become standards. In the young hedges (Fairfield hedge and the Arable Walk hedge) trees have been selected within the hedge which will be allowed to grow to full height. The top of the hedges are cut on rotation by the Magog Trust hedge and grass cutting contractor with a tractor and flail, so before this is done the trees are trimmed around and marked by the Rangers until they are tall enough to be identifiable by the contractor. We sometimes call the standard trees in the hedges ‘singing trees’ as they provide perches for farmland birds and perching places for birds moving along a long hedge.
Any hedge cutting on Magog Down is undertaken later in the winter months, usually mid- January or early February. By then wildlife has been able to feed on the berries and fruits in the hedges. Cutting is also best undertaken on rotation, either every other year or every three years for the benefit of wildlife.