NORTH Yorkshire landowners and farmers are being urged to help wildlife by trimming their hedges now.

The plea has been made by the North York Moors National Park, which is hoping to encourage winter nesting.

Rona Charles said the end of February is the best time to trim hedges because the birds are coming to the end of their winter nesting period.

"From a wildlife point of view, the crucial time to avoid is the bird-nesting season, between March and the end of July, so it's best to get it done at this time of year.

"During the winter, the hedges provide excellent shelter for birds and help them survive the cold weather. The hedges act as a kind of natural larder, providing nuts and fruits for a wide variety of animals and birds."

Hedgerows are critical to the overall landscape character of the North York Moors, said Rona. "They also harbour a surprising variety of wildlife, providing food and shelter for many birds and other animals.

"At least 30 types of birds nest in hedgerows. In early March, many birds, such as wrens, robins and dunnocks, begin to set up breeding territories. Cutting hedges then can disrupt this process and put at risk the chance of a particular bird breeding successfully."

Updated: 10:53 Thursday, February 15, 2001