Looking into a Ditch

Norman Influences and Ireland's Landscape Heritage 

The landscape character of Ireland is typified by the enclosure of fields bounded by mature hedgerows comparable only with the Bocage landscape of Normandy in France. A key legacy of the Normans in Ireland was the transformation of open unenclosed grasslands to a patchwork quilt of small fields enclosed by thorn hedgerows. 

The value of hedgerows has long been appreciated for their value in providing shelter for livestock, as ecological corridors for wildlife, flood attenuation and in recent years for absorption of carbon. Hedgerows are recognised for their cultural and natural heritage and the craft of hedge laying is important in maintaining their structure.

During National Hedgerow Week in autumn 2027, Waterford City and County Council will host a seminar exploring the heritage of our hedgerow landscapes in Ireland and Normandy “Looking into a Ditch- The Natural and Cultural Heritage of our Norman Hedgerows”.  

The seminar will explore the following topics: 
- The cultural and natural heritage of our Hedgerow Landscapes (Townland boundaries, placenames, hedge schools, ecology)
- The Art of Hedge Laying and traditional Woodland Crafts 
- Food Foraging from our Hedgerows
- Impact of Hedgerow loss in a Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss Emergency 
- Nature Based Solutions for the preservation of our hedgerow landscapes (Water EIP and EU Resist Project)

Practical information 
The seminar will be followed by a field visit to view sites of best practice in hedgerow management in Waterford and the SE.