188体育

Duration

3 years

How much you鈥檒l be paid

拢10 per 100 metres (m) for both sides of an eligible hedgerow per year

Action鈥檚 aim

This action鈥檚 aim is that there are hedgerow trees maintained or established.

The purpose of this is to provide:

• habitat for wildlife
• carbon storage benefits

Where you can do this action

An eligible hedgerow for this action must be:

• a boundary line of shrubs, or both shrubs and trees
• over 20m long
• less than 10m wide

The hedgerow can be:

• newly planted, laid or coppiced
• woody growth on top of an earth or stone-faced bank, for example, Cornish or Devon hedges

There can be gaps in the hedgerow if they鈥檙e not more than:

• 20m long
• 10% of the total length of the relevant hedgerow when you add all the gaps in it together

If the gaps add up to more than 10%, you can only do the action on the total length of the hedgerow if you鈥檒l plant up the gaps during this action鈥檚 3-year duration. You can apply for Capital Grants for hedgerow gapping up (BN7) and planting new hedges (BN11) to help you do this.

You can only do this action on both sides of an eligible hedgerow. This means you must have management control of both sides of the hedgerow.

You can enter both sides of a roadside hedgerow, or a hedgerow that borders a neighbour鈥檚 land, if you meet both of the following:

• you have a legal right or obligation to maintain the hedgerow
• you can meet this action鈥檚 requirements

Eligibility of protected land

Protected land	Eligibility
Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs)	Eligible 鈥� you must get SSSI consent before you do this action (read section 10.3鈥�鈥�SSSI 肠辞苍蝉别苍迟鈥� in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this)
Historic and archaeological features	Eligible 鈥� you must get a SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.6鈥�鈥楲and with historic or archaeological features鈥� in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this)

Available area you can enter into this action

Not applicable, as this is a linear action 鈥� you can choose what length of eligible hedgerows to enter into this action.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action鈥檚 duration.

What to do

You must make sure there鈥檚 an average of at least 1 hedgerow tree per 100m over the total length of hedgerows entered into this action. This means some 100m lengths can contain no trees, as long as you meet this average.

You can do this action by:

• maintaining existing trees growing within the hedgerow
• establishing new hedgerow trees

To establish a new hedgerow tree, you must either:

• select an existing sapling in the hedgerow with a single straight stem
• plant a new sapling 鈥� you can apply for Capital Grants to plant a hedgerow tree (TE1) and protect it with a tree guard (TE6)

You must identify each newly established hedgerow tree by tagging it or using another method to identify it clearly, so it can be avoided when managing the hedgerow.

You can include dead and dying trees when counting how many hedgerow trees are in a given length of hedgerow. This decaying wood can provide a habitat for invertebrates, nesting birds and bats. This does not include newly planted tree saplings that die before they become established.

You must not damage the hedgerow trees, or cut them unless there鈥檚 a clear need, for example:

• to prolong the life of the tree
• for health and safety reasons (such as removing branches that pose a risk to people)
• because it鈥檚 a tradition in the local landscape (such as coppicing or pollarding willow)

When to do it

You must have done this action by the end of this action鈥檚 3-year duration, so it meets the requirements explained above.

How to do it

It鈥檚 up to you how you do this action, as long as you:

• follow this action鈥檚 requirements 鈥� these are identified by a 鈥榤ust鈥�
• do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action鈥檚 aim

You may find it helpful to read the 鈥榓dvice to help you do this action鈥�, but it鈥檚 not part of this action鈥檚 requirements.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you鈥檝e done to complete this action, such as:

• field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
• photographs or other documentation

If it鈥檚 not clear that you鈥檝e done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, we may ask for this evidence. You must supply the evidence if we ask for it.

Other actions or options you can do with this action

You can do the following actions or options in land parcels with eligible boundaries entered into this action.

Scheme	Action or option codes
SFI 2024 actions	All SFI 2024 actions, except BND1
SFI 2023 actions	All SFI 2023 actions, except HRW3
CS options	All CS management options, including BE3 (management of hedgerows)
ES options	All ES revenue options, except boundary options
SFI pilot standards	All SFI pilot standards, except the SFI pilot hedgerows standard

Advice to help you do this action

The following advice may help you to do this action, but it鈥檚 not part of this action鈥檚 requirements.

How to establish new hedgerow trees

To establish new trees in hedgerows, you can:

• select an existing sapling in the hedgerow 鈥� try to choose undamaged stems that are growing straight up all the way from the base, as these are more likely to produce a good, strong trunk
• plant a new sapling

If possible, try to:

• plant or select a mix of different, site-suited species to support a wider variety of wildlife
• avoid planting ash, because of ash dieback disease
• use tree guards to protect the trees from browsing animals, such as deer, and grazing animals
• avoid planting or selecting a sapling beneath or near to (around 20 metres) overhead powerlines
• avoid planting or selecting a sapling where it might obstruct roads, tracks or rights of way

Planting new saplings

If you鈥檙e planting new saplings in a hedgerow, it鈥檚 usually best to do this between November and March, when they鈥檙e dormant and can be supplied bare-root.

On drier sites, planting at the start of winter can give the roots more time to establish. Planting at the end of winter on wetter sites can help stop the roots from rotting in the wet ground.

When you鈥檙e planting new saplings in the hedgerow, try to:

• choose a local source, to avoid the risk of introducing alien pests and diseases 鈥� you can use the to help you choose a source
• plant in existing gaps in the hedgerow, so there鈥檚 less competition from existing plants 鈥� alternatively, plant into small gaps cut into the hedgerow if there are no existing gaps
• plant them far enough apart (usually at least 20m) from existing trees so they do not shade or compete with them once they mature
• plant them far enough away from boundary walls so they鈥檙e not damaged by the tree as it grows
• stake trees which are more than 1m tall for their first year
• keep the area immediately around the sapling weed-free until it鈥檚 established
• water them during dry spells or if they show any signs of wilting

Before you plant a hedgerow tree:

• check if there are any regulatory restrictions which may affect this聽鈥� read section 10 鈥楪et all necessary regulatory consents, permissions and licences in place鈥� in the SFI scheme information for more details
• if you鈥檙e a tenant, check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what鈥檚 required

How to identify newly established hedgerow trees

This action requires you to identify each newly established hedgerow tree. This is so anyone trimming or flailing the hedgerow can avoid the tree.

To identify a hedgerow tree, you can tag it by:

• using brightly coloured, durable material
• putting a tagged stick near it, if the tree is difficult to reach
• putting a clearly visible stake in the hedge next to the tree

It鈥檚 advisable to check the trees each year to make sure the tags (or other method of identification) are still in place, replacing them as necessary.

Protecting hedgerow trees from damage

This action requires you not to damage hedgerow trees.

Hedgerow trees may be damaged by:

• how you manage the land around the tree 鈥� most tree roots usually grow up to a depth of around 30 centimetres and can spread to several times the width of the canopy
• livestock 鈥� they can compact the soil and strip the bark
• farm machinery

You can manage the area around the tree to help protect the roots and the structure of the soil they鈥檙e growing in. For example, you can:

• control scrub and tall vegetation, as these can compete with the tree roots
• apply a mulch, such as wood chips, which can help to relieve soil compaction and control weeds

You can also prevent livestock from compacting the soil and stripping the bark, which can damage the trees.

Cutting hedgerow trees

This action allows you to cut back a hedgerow tree if there鈥檚 a clear need (you can find examples of what this means under 鈥榃hat to do鈥�).

If you need to cut hedgerow trees:

• before you cut them, check if there are any regulatory restrictions which may affect what you鈥檙e intending to do 鈥� for example, if you need a tree felling licence (read section 10 鈥楪et all necessary regulatory consents, permissions and licences in place鈥� in the SFI scheme information for more details)
• employ a qualified tree surgeon
• prune the trees during the winter months when they are dormant (unless you鈥檙e pruning for health and safety reasons, which you can do at any time)
• avoid pruning when the trees are in active growth in the spring

If possible, try to leave cut branches or piles of dead wood to help provide habitat for wildlife.