This common gardening gesture to beautify your garden is prohibited after March 15. If you do not comply with the law, it could cost you dearly.
In the spring, many of us focus on refreshing our gardens. However, it is essential to remember that there are specific rules regarding this activity, particularly regarding the period during which certain practices are permitted. Indeed, in many regions, trimming hedges is prohibited after March 15. This rule may seem arbitrary, but it has valid reasons and potentially costly consequences for those who neglect it.
Why is this March 15 deadline so important? The answer lies in protecting local wildlife. The nesting season is beginning. Indeed, from spring, birds begin to build their nests to welcome their offspring. Hedges often provide an ideal habitat for this, providing shelter and security. Article 4 of the decree of April 24, 2015 relating to the rules of good agricultural and environmental conditions provides for a ban on hedge trimming between April 1 and July 30 for farmers. This ban in the Environmental Code or the Rural Code does not prohibit individuals from trimming their hedges, it only concerns farmers.
However, the LPO (Bird Protection League) strongly recommends not pruning or trimming hedges and trees from March 15 until July 31. If no sanctions are provided for local residents in the Environmental Code or the Rural Code, there may be exceptions with municipal or prefectural decrees prohibiting the cutting of hedges between certain dates. In many municipalities, and in certain departments, trimming hedges after March 15 is considered an offense punishable by a fine. It is important for individuals to contact their town hall to check whether a municipal or prefectural decree prohibits the pruning of hedges or trees after this date. Heavy sanctions may be imposed.
Fine amounts vary depending on local regulations, but they can be quite significant, especially if the act of trimming hedges results in damage to protected wildlife. Article L. 415-3 of the Environmental Code provides for a penalty of up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to €150,000 “for harm to the conservation of non-domestic animal species and for destruction of their habitat.