Multifunctional boundary hedges: making the most of the possibilities

Vityi A.1 (vityi.andrea@uni-sopron.hu), Kiss-Szigeti N.2, Szalai Z.3

1 Institute of Forest and Environmental Techniques, University of Sopron, Sopron, Hungary;2 University of Sopron, Co-operational Research Centre, Sopron, Hungary;

3 Szent István University, Department of Ecological and Sustainable Production Systems, Budapest, Hungary.

Fig 2: The farmer harvests the black locust flowers in the hedgerow (Photo: B. Kulcsár)

Hegdes and shelterbelts have history in some European countries, for their important role in protecting fields, people, poverty and livestock and improving productivity.In Hungary and many other Eastern-

European countries hedge and shelterbelt management is a historical agroforestry practice. During the last decades their numbers are reduced and their condition is deteriorating in many places. After their

disappearance environmental problems occurred (e.g. soil degradation) and led to economic difficulties. Therefore, the Hungarian Regional Agroforestry Innovation Network (RAIN) - working within the frame

of AFINET project - focuses its work on promoting the multifunctional benefits of shelterbelts and their innovative use for land owners. In the following case studies farmers and researchers share their

experiences on the contribution of linear green inftrasructures to productive systems.

Bundary hedge and windbreaks with a diversity of species protects the orchard and the whole farm in

this case study from Fejér county (Hungary). The installation of the hedgerow around the 12 ha area

was one of the first steps in the development of the farm, as a result of which, within 4 years there

has been a significant decrease in wind pressure, water loss and in chemical contaminants.

Fig 1: The farm boundary hedgerow is a mixture of species.

Besides increasing biodiversity it provides the flavour

required for the main product of the farm which is the syrup.

Appropriate protection is ensured by multilevel vegetation

and careful planting structure taking the wind direction and

the site conditions (dry and medium compact soil) into

consideration. among the timber species, black locust is the

main stand-forming species in the shelterbelt. Oak, beech,

elm and flowering ash are the associate tree species.The

main principle of the selection of species in the shrub-layer

were the crown density and nativity, thus lilac and elder are

dominant.

The farmer describes the hedgerow’s

multipurpose functions as follows:

• The flowers and berries of the trees and

bushes are used for colouring and flavouring

in syrup production.

• A wide variety of species provides a diverse

pasture rich in food attracting bees so the

farmer produces more fruit from improved

pollination services.

Fig 3: High quality syrup made in the farm (Photo: A. Vityi)

14.5

17.7

16.5

14.2

11.5 11.8 11.5

10.2

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1 2 3 4

Effect of hedges on moisture content ofarable field soil (%)

soil moisture with hedge without

Fig 4 : The hedge in the second year after

the planting (2004), beside the crop field. .

Research and Experiment field of SZIE

Horticultural Faculty, Organic Farming

Division (Photo Szalai Z)

Fig 5 : The same hedge in 2016. Research

and Experiment field of SZIE Horticultural

Faculty, Organic Farming Division (Photo

Szalai Z)

Fig 6 : Sampling points between hedge

and cultivated area for soil moisture

measurements (2016).

Fig 9: Soil moisture tests clearly confirm the

favorable effect of the hedgerow on the soil

moisture conditions of the adjacent arable

land, under dry conditions.

Fig 7: Researchers measured enhanced

shoot growth in the hedge-lined orchard

compared to the control without hedgerow.

Case study 2: Hedgerows improve soil watermanagement and shoot growth- Experimental results

The 300 m long three-row hedge was planted from mixed species native in Central-Hungary ,

in the Reserch and Experimental Field of Horticultural Faculty, Organic Farming Division, Szent

István University, Soroksár. The production site is dry, sandy soil with low humus content.

Case study 1: How to get out most of a hedgerow? - Farmer’s perspective

• The biomass from pollarding and summer pruning and some of

the fallen branches resulting from storm damage is used as a

supplementary feed for animals. The farmer doubles the benefits

of using trees for feeding livestock: the animals consume those

parts of the plants that are of higher ash content and less suitable

for firing (foliage, thin branch and bark), as a result of which the

farmer gets clean wood with a higher calorific value.

• It almost fully covers the fuel demand of the farm (90% of wood

comes from pollarding, the rest 10% is the waste of summer

pruning). The fuel is utilized in a biomass stove after chipping.

The authors acknowledge the support of AFINET project funded from the European Union’s Horizont 2020 research and development program under grant agreement no. 727872

and the support of EFOP-3.6.2 – 16 -2017 – 00010 - Ring 2017 project

Prunus spinosa (Blackthorn)

Sambucus nigra (Elderberry)

Corylus avellana (Hazelnut)

Rosa canina (Dog-rose)

Ligustrum vulgare (Privet)

Cornus mas (Cornel)

Cornus sanguinea (Dogwood):

Euonymus europaeus (Euonymus)

Cratageus monogyna (Hawthorn)

Acer campestre (Field Maple)

Malus sylvestris (Crab apple)

Pyrus pyraster (Wilde pear)

(Photo: A. Vityi)

Fig. 8: Arrangements of the species in thethree-row hedge