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Start of the 2024 season: Hedge care in the "Murimoos"

Realized:

2024

performed by:

Naturnetz Mobil

Start of the 2024 season: After the annual winter break in January, the Naturnetz Mobil team headed to the canton of Aargau under new management. More precisely, to the local recreation area "Murimoos". In addition to assisted living, sheltered workshops, restaurants and organic farming, there are also an impressive 4 km of hedges spread around the site.


The aim of the week's work was ambitious: at least 1 km of hedge in the north-west of the area along the stream on the field side was to be professionally maintained. This included pushing back the edge of the hedge by a good 1 m and encouraging slow-growing trees and thorn bushes. In addition, the herbaceous border, which mainly consists of dewberries, was to be cut back with a brush cutter. Problem plants such as the Armenian blackberry ( Rubus armeniacus ) and clematis ( Clematis vitalba ) were removed from the hedge or pushed back. In particular, the fast-growing species such as goat willow ( Salix caprea ), red dogwood ( Cornus sanguinea ) and hazel bush ( Coryllus avelana ) were the focus of the maintenance.


Equipped with chainsaws, brush cutters, branch shears and other tools, the Mobil Group's community service team set about the intensive week. It was characterised by a good atmosphere and high work ethic, and the weather also played along and was already spring-like despite it being February.


A special feature of the hedge maintenance was the creation of piles of branches suitable for weasels. To do this, an area was cleared of vegetation using a brush cutter and a stable substructure made of around 20 cm thick branch sections was built on top of it, which would later serve as shelter for small mammals. Thinner branches and brushwood were then piled on top of this and interlocked for long-term stability. The structures were then expanded by employees from "Murimoos" with additional cuttings. In keeping with this, the group was able to spot a nimble stoat during the lunch break and watch it for a while as it chased across the area.


In order to ensure that animals still have enough places to rest and hide, despite the major intervention in the hedge structure, until the hedge thickens again through natural growth, so-called "Hazelmännli" were created from individual hazel bushes. To do this, the bushes were shortened to around 1.5 m and the resulting branch material was woven into the trunk in a star shape to create valuable small structures for birds and insects.

Despite the tight schedule, the two 500 m hedge sections were successfully maintained and we would like to thank “Murimoos” for the exciting assignment.

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