SUSTAINABLE FARMING INCENTIVE – PILOT STARTING 2021 – HEDGEROWS STANDARD

AIM 1: UNCUT HEDGEROWS
Introductory Level (£16 per 100m) Intermediate Level (£21 per 100m) – All actions in Introductory level plus Advanced Level (£24 per 100m) – All actions in Introductory and Intermediate levels plus

1. Leave at least 50% of the hedgerow uncut

Every year on rotation leave at least half of the total hedgerow length uncut to increase the amount of pollen, nectar and berries for birds and insects.  

Advice: 

1. Same as Introductory level

2. Leave more hedgerows uncut or raise the cutting height

For this action you can choose either one of the following: 

  • leave at least two thirds of the total hedgerow length uncut every year, cutting a maximum of one third each year in rotation; or 
  • leave at least half the total hedgerow uncut each year, but raise the cutting height by 10cm or more every time you cut leaving some wood for flowers and fruit to form

1.  Same as Introductory level

2. Same as Intermediate level

 

AIM 2: HEDGEROW TREES
Introductory Level  Intermediate Level  Advanced Level 
1. Maintain hedgerow trees, or plant or tag new ones

  • Must be an average of one hedgerow tree per 400 metres across all the hedgerows.  
  • The trees do not have to be evenly distributed across the hedgerow.  
  • Maintain existing trees and if necessary plant new ones to achieve this. 
  • When counting how many trees are in a given length, you can include dead and dying trees. 
  • Some hedgerows may have no trees

1. Same as Introductory level

2. Maintain more hedgerow trees, or plant or tag new ones

  • There must be an average of one hedgerow tree every 200m across all the hedgerows. 

Maintain existing trees and if necessary plant new ones to achieve the number needed for your level. 

  • Trees do not have to be evenly distributed across the hedgerow. Include dead and dying trees in your tree count. 

1.  Same as Intermediate level

2. Maintain more hedgerow trees, or plant or tag new ones

  • There must be an average of one hedgerow tree every 100m across all the hedgerows. 

Maintain existing trees and if necessary plant new ones to achieve the number needed for your level. 

Advice: 

 

AIM 3: SHORT HEDGES (Intermediate and Advanced Levels)
Introductory Level  Intermediate Level  Advanced Level 
N/A 1. Leave the tops to grow uncut on short hedgerows less than 2m high.  1.  Same as Intermediate level

 

AIM 4: BUFFER STRIP (Intermediate and Advanced Levels)
Introductory Level  Intermediate Level  Advanced Level 

N/A

 

 

 1. Create and maintain a tussocky grass buffer strip on both sides of:

  • at least 50% of the hedgerows. 
  • the buffers must measure 4m on each side from the centre of the hedge. 
  • If there’s a watercourse buffer it must be in addition to the hedgerow buffer. 
  • Hedgerow buffer strips in grassland do not need to be fenced off. You can graze them with the rest of the field but you must not cut them.
 1. Same as Intermediate level but create and maintain a tussocky grass buffer strip on both sides of:

  • at least 75% of the hedgerows 

Advice: 

 

Eligible land: 

Hedgerows must be: 

  • a boundary line of shrubs (a woody plant where the distance between the ground and the base of the leafy layer is less than 2m) 
  • over 20 metres long, and less than 5 metres wide between major stems at the base
  • composed of at least 80% native shrubs 

Where only one side of a hedgerow is part of the agreement, you should enter half of the total length in the agreement. 

Hedgerows can be: 

  • newly planted 
  • grown on top of earth or stone banks 

Ineligible land:  

Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) 

If your application includes SSSI land, you will need consent from Natural England. 

Funding for Capital Items 

Additional standards you can apply to this land 

Land parcels you use for this standard can also be used for the: 

Exemptions to the cutting limits apply to hedgerows that are: 

  • cut for safety reasons or to maintain rights of way access 
  • newly planted, until fully established 
  • in agreements less than 50ha in size – in this case you do not have to cut every year, but should cut every 2 or 3 years to the delivery level selected 

 

These notes, prepared on the 09.07.2021, are only to be used as a part of a wider discussion/decision-making process undertaken with Townsend Chartered Surveyors also giving accompanying advice. TCS cannot be held responsible for their use other than in this context or for any resulting misunderstanding or damages. As a pilot the payment values and actions required may be subject to change as Defra develops the scheme.