By John Capel and Claire Suddaby of Kingston upon Hull City Council's Ecology Section

Nature in the city ...

Hedgerows offer a unique haven for wildlife in and around the city.

The most common hedgerows in towns are privet and leyland cypress. But the best hedges for wildlife are hawthorn, holly, hazel, spindle, buckthorn, bramble and some ornamental hedges.

A garden hedge provides, privacy and security - especially if it's prickly - and will last a long time.

From a conservation viewpoint a hedgerow is a source of enjoyment and learning. It offers beauty and interest as the seasons change and attracts insects like ladybirds, butterflies, moths, and spiders, which benefit the garden.

These insects in turn attract birds such as blackbirds, thrushes, robins, wrens and sparrows, which feed on snails and slugs - the headache of all gardeners!

Mammals, such as hedgehogs, mice, squirrels, and occasionally stoats use hedgerows for food and shelter. All of these creatures add to the life of a garden making it different every day.

At the moment the hedgerows look disused and bare. But this is the perfect time to have a peek inside at last year's nests and spiders webs. If you do find anything interesting, we would love to hear from you on 612478. If we are not in please leave a message. We are especially interested in the type, length and height of the hedge, number of nests found, and the type of bird if known.

Finally, if you do have any nesting birds, please wait until they have flown the nest before cutting back your hedge.