Spring is approaching: it is high time to start taking care of your garden. But don’t do anything! From March 15, you should not do that anymore to your plants.
Spring, a renewal season, is fast approaching. This is the favorite moment of gardening enthusiasts! After months of winter cold, you have to start maintain your garden to prepare it in fine weather. And it involves cutting her plants and shrubs to promote their health and beauty. A hedge a little too vigorous or that tends to overflow in neighbors? A little dryer can arrange this! But you have to hurry!
The French Biodiversity Office (OFB) and the Bird Protection League (LPO) recommend that we no longer cut our hedges from March 15 to August 15. Indeed, the spring season marks the start of nesting for many birds. The latter often choose hedges and trees to establish their nests, out of predators and bad weather. Disturbing these natural shelters during this period can have harmful consequences on avian reproduction.
Thus, as of March 15, it is recommended to suspend the hedge size operations and pruning trees, until August 15, the date to which the last chicks will take off. Busy gardeners are therefore invited to plan this work before or after this period. Please note, for individuals, it is only a recommendation, there is no pure and hard legal prohibition. However, it is based on a principle of common sense: to respect the rhythm of life of species that share our gardens and thus preserve biodiversity.
Afterwards, there may be exceptions with municipal or prefectural orders prohibiting the size of hedges between certain dates. This is the case for the Vosges since 2024 for example where, in the event of non-compliance, individuals are liable to a fine of 750 euros. The amounts of the sanctions vary depending on local regulations, but they can be quite significant, especially if the cutting of hedges causes damage to protected fauna.
On the other hand, all farmers are legally concerned. Indeed, article 4 of the decree of April 24, 2015 relating to the rules of good agricultural and environmental conditions prohibits the size of hedges between April 1 and July 30. In the event of an offense, they incur a fine of 150,000 euros and three years’ imprisonment. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) also prohibits farmers with the premiums to cut hedges between March 16 and August 15.
For those who would like to go further in the preservation of biodiversity and give a little help to birds (or rather a paw), it is recommended to install nest boxes in its garden in order to offer them additional shelters. It is also better to plant diversified hedges, in order to attract richer fauna. Finally, it is better to prefer light brushcutting to an intensive size outside the breeding period. By adopting these respectful practices, each contributes to the safeguarding of local species and the maintenance of healthy ecosystems in our daily environments.