CORNISH HEDGE
In St Eval the hedges are traditional slate walls filled with earth which define the boundaries between fields and roads. They link all the other habitats together. In St Eval the oldest walls have slates laid in rows called ‘curzy wurzy’ style. Some of these hedges are hundreds of years old. They provide shelter from the wind for wild plants, crops, nesting birds and animals. Sometimes tamarisk is planted into the top. Stone crop is common in dry hedges along with thrift and sometimes sheep’s bit scabious, fox gloves and honeysuckle. Small birds nest in these hedges. Spiders, solitary bees, beetles and ants live in the walls and amongst the plants that grow in them. Sparrow hawks fly low along the hedges to catch their prey.
Cornish hedge food chains:
Sparrow hawk
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Sparrow
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Honey suckle berries
Shrew
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Bush Cricket
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Decaying plants