Pat Byrne leads the tour at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025.
Photo: Alf Harvey.
Laois County Council in collaboration with the Heritage Council held a community event during Hedgerow Week.
This brought together landowners, conservationists, educators and public to explore how hedgerows boost biodiversity and support sustainable land management.
On September 6, as part of National Hedgerow Week, Pat Byrne of Byrne’s Biodiversity farm hosted a local event to highlight the critical role of hedgerows in protecting wildlife and strengthening the natural environment.
The gathering included expert talks from Pat Byrne and Jason Monaghan of the NPWS to inform on hedgerow management techniques designed to maximize year-round ecological value.
Participants learned how practices such as rotational cutting, management techniques and buffer strip management that transform hedgerows into thriving habitats.
The event emphasized that well-managed hedgerows not only provide food and shelter for pollinators, birds, and small mammals, but also enhance soil health, water retention, and climate resilience.
“Hedgerows are more than just field boundaries,” said Lisa Doyle, Biodiversity Officer at Laois County Council.
“When managed thoughtfully, they become living ecosystems in conjunction with adjacent land management that support pollinators, birds, mammals, and native plants – and
they deliver wider environmental benefits for communities too.”
Lisa Doyle concluded: “We hope this event inspires landowners and communities to see hedgerows not just as boundaries, but as networks of biodiversity that benefit us all.”
Check out some great pictures from Alf Harvey below:
Pat Byrne leads the tour at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.The guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.Hedging at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.Pat Byrne leads the tour at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.Pat Byrne leads the tour at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.Jason Monaghan from the NPWS; Michael Corrigan and Cllr Paddy Buggie at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.Pat Byrne welcomes the visitors at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.The guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.Pat Byrne leads the tour at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.Host Pat Byrne , Lisa Doyle, Biodiversity Officer Laois County Council and Jason Monaghan from the NPWS at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.Pat Byrne at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.Jason Monaghan from the NPWS at the guided hedgerow walk on Byrne’s Biodiversity Farm at Killabban, Maganey, County Laois during National Hedgerow Week 2025. Photo: Alf Harvey.
