Hedges are crucial to encouraging biodiversity on farms, but that's not all. Here are some of the other benefits we get from hedges:
1) They serve as a windbreak so crops can focus on flower and fruit production instead of fighting the wind.
2) They create unique habitats and corridors for insects, pollinators and other wildlife - the edge of two ecosystems (forest and field) is where you'll find the most diversity of plants and animals.
3) They increases carbon storage in biomass and soils.
4) They catch, store and filtrate water in their root systems, reducing soil erosion and irrigating crops.
5) They mimic diversity usually found at a forest's edge, which is the most productive landscape for human-edible species.
6) They have drop roots that can tap into nutrients and minerals that other plant roots can't reach.
7) Their leaf litter adds to the soil's organic matter and soil quality.