188体育

Duration

3 years

How much you鈥檒l be paid

拢235 per hectare (ha) per year 鈥� calculate the hectarage by:

• measuring the length of the buffer strip in metres (m)
• multiplying that length by the relevant width (4m to 12m) to give the area in m²
• dividing that area by 10,000 to convert it into ha

Action鈥檚 aim

This action鈥檚 aim is that there鈥檚 a grass buffer strip:

• with an intact grass sward throughout the year
• without tracks, compacted areas or poaching

The purpose of this is to:

• protect existing landscape and heritage features
• provide habitat for wildlife
• prevent pollutants, such as sediment and nutrients, from being carried in surface water runoff, if located next to a watercourse
• support an integrated pest management approach, if located close to cropped areas, which can help to reduce costs and improve farm resilience

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that鈥檚:

• an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1 鈥楨ligible land types for SFI鈥� in the SFI scheme information)
• registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
• declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover

Eligible land

Eligible land type	Eligible land cover	Compatible land use code
Temporary grassland	Arable land	TG01
Improved permanent grassland	Permanent grassland	PG01

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�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�鈥橪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

Part of the available area in a land parcel.

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 establish and maintain a grass strip on land entered into this action that鈥檚:

• at least 4m to 12m wide (on average in each land parcel) - it can be more than 12m wide, but you鈥檒l only be paid for the 12m width
• on the edge of improved grassland

The grass strip must buffer an existing landscape feature, or certain heritage features, such as:

• hedgerows
• stone walls
• woodland
• ditches, rivers and streams
• upstanding historic or archaeological features, such as earthworks, in-field structures or buildings

You can also locate the grass buffer strip next to:

• trackways that channel run-off water directly into a watercourse
• fence lines that form links between areas of wildlife habitat

You must make sure the grass strip is in addition to any regulatory requirements relating to buffer strips.

Once the grass strip is established, you must manage it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action鈥檚 aim.

You can graze the grass buffer strip with livestock, provided there鈥檚 an intact grass sward throughout the year, without tracks, compacted areas or poaching.

You must not do the following on the grass buffer strip once it鈥檚 established:

• cut it for hay or silage, so it can provide a refuge for farmland wildlife
• use it for regular vehicular access, turning or storage (for example, storing bales or machinery)
• apply any fertilisers or manures
• apply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, or nettles
• use pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat for the control of injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, or nettles

You can maintain an existing grass buffer strip to get paid for this action if it:

• meet this action鈥檚 requirements
• are not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as Countryside Stewardship (CS) option SW2 (4m to 6m buffer strip on intensive grassland)

When to do it

You must:

• establish the grass buffer strip within the first 12 months of this action鈥檚 duration
• maintain the same area of grass buffer strip in each subsequent year of this action鈥檚 duration

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 on the same area in a land parcel as this action. Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they鈥檙e done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read 鈥榃hat to do鈥� and 鈥榃hen to do it鈥� to find out when this action must be done.

Scheme	Action or option codes
SFI 2024 actions	OFC1, OFC3, OFM1, OFM4, WBD7, AGF1, AGF2, PRF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1
SFI 2023 actions	IPM1, NUM1, SAM1
CS options	SW10, OR1, OR3, OT1, OT3
ES options	No ES revenue options
SFI pilot standards	No area-based SFI pilot standards

If an action or option cannot be located on the same area, you may be able to do it on a different area in the same land parcel. Read section 6. 鈥楨ligible land in other funding schemes鈥� in the SFI scheme information for more details.

You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:

• SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2 and WBD2
• SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
• CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
• the introductory level of 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 and where to establish the grass buffer strip

You can establish the grass buffer strip by either:

• sowing a seed mix
• using natural regeneration

This action explains:

• which landscape features the grass strip is required to buffer (under 鈥榃hat to do鈥�)
• that the 4m to 12m wide grass strip must be in addition to any regulatory requirements relating to buffer strips

You are required by law to have 2m buffer strips next to hedgerows. This means you need to establish the 4m to 12m wide grass strip at least 2m from the centre of a hedgerow. Read the guidance on Hedgerow management rules: buffer strips to understand how these rules apply to you.

To help you decide where to locate the grass buffer strip, you may find it helpful to do CSAM1 (assess soil, produce a soil management plan and test soil organic matter).

Sowing a seed mix

Sowing a seed mix can establish the grass buffer more quickly, which can reduce the risk of soil erosion.

You can choose a seed mix that contains native grass species, such as::

• timothy
• cocksfoot
• crested dog鈥檚 tail
• red fescue
• smooth-stalked meadow grass

It can help the seeds to germinate if they鈥檙e sown into a seedbed that鈥檚:

• firm, consolidated, fine, level and weed free
• moist, which will usually be the case in the autumn 鈥� you can sow in the spring, but you may need to increase the sowing rate, depending on weather and soil type

You can either:

• broadcast the seeds onto the surface of the seedbed to help germination
• shallow-drill the seeds up to a depth of 1 centimetre (cm). Small seeds may struggle to germinate when sown deeper than 1cm

If the soil is dry enough, rolling after you have sown the seeds can:

• improve seed-to-soil contact
• keep moisture
• reduce the risk of slug damage

Your seed supplier can:

• help you choose a seed mix that鈥檚 the best match for your land and local conditions
• advise you on an overall sowing rate for the seed mix you choose

Using natural regeneration

Using natural regeneration means the grasses in the buffer strip are local to your area. It can take longer to establish the buffer strip, but it may cost less.

To encourage the seeds that are already in the soil to germinate, you can cultivate the soil between spring and late summer.

Maintaining the established grass buffer strip

Once the grass buffer strip is established, this action requires you to maintain it by managing it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action鈥檚 aim.

You can cut (unless it鈥檚 for hay or silage) or graze the grass buffer strip, as long as this action鈥檚 requirements are met.

To provide habitat and a refuge for wildlife, you can:

• cut up to half of the width of the buffer strip
• stagger cutting, so you do not cut all your buffer strips at the same time

Controlling weeds

You may need to control weeds when they appear. To control weeds like docks, nettles, thistles and common ragwort, you can cut the affected area, providing there鈥檚 still an intact grass sward. This action also allows you to use herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat weeds.