Table 2 Derivation of hedge structure score, food for wildlife score and animal diversity score

Hedge structure score—sum of the following seven elements

1. Structure of hedge

Line of bushes

4

Line of trees

3

Bushes and trees

5

2. Gaps in hedge

No gaps

5

A few gaps

3

More gaps than hedge

1

3. Shape of hedge: average of all that were recorded

Neatly trimmed

2

Untrimmed

4

Heavily cut

1

Leggy

1

Laid or coppiced

5

4. Other features: sum of all features recorded

Wall

1

Fence

0

Ditch

1

Bank

1

Undisturbed strip

2

5. Height of hedge

<1 m

1

1–2 m

3

2–3 m

5

>3 m

4

6. Width of hedge

<1 m

1

1–2 m

3

>2 m

5

7. Length of hedge

<5 m

2

5–20 m

3

20–50 m

4

>50 m

5

Food for wildlife score—sum of the following two elements

1. Hedge food species: sum of all recorded species. Sum multiplied by 2 if hedge shape recorded as “untrimmed”, or by 1.5 if shape recorded as “neatly trimmed” (providing “untrimmed” was not recorded)

Beech

1

Bramble

5

Blackthorn

5

Dog Rose

5

Elder

3

Hawthorn

5

Hazel

2

Holly

4

Ivy

4

Laurel

1

Privet

2

Yew

2

2. Numbers of flowers/berries

<10

1

10–100

4

100–1000

7

>1000

10

Animal diversity score—sum of the following two elements

1. Numbers of different types (see Table 4) of invertebrate: sum scores for all invertebrate types recorded.

Recorded as present

2

1–2

2

3–5

2.5

6–10

3

11–50

3.5

51–500

4

>500

5

2. Presence of holes

<2 cm

5

2–5 cm

10

5–10 cm

15

10–30 cm

20

>30 cm

25