AHW5: Nesting plots for lapwing
What you must do to get paid for this action and advice on how to do it.
This is an action in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme: expanded offer for 2024. You must read the SFI scheme information to understand the scheme rules and how to apply.
Duration
3 years
How much you’ll be paid
£765 per hectare (ha) per year
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that there are fallow cultivated plots within an arable crop which:
- have enough bare ground for nesting lapwings
- are present from early spring until the arable crop is harvested in the summer
The purpose of this is to provide:
- nesting sites for lapwing
- habitats for other declining farmland birds, farmland wildlife and important arable plants
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s:
- identified by you as not being at risk of soil erosion or surface runoff – you must keep evidence of this
- an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1 ‘Eligible land types for SFI’ 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
You must not do this action on land that’s within around:
- 100 metres (m) of woods, in-field and hedgerow trees, buildings, overhead power lines, main road and public rights of way
- 200m of wind turbines
Eligible land
| Eligible land type | Eligible land cover | Compatible land use code |
|---|---|---|
| Arable land used to grow crops | Arable land | Land use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops |
| Temporary grassland | Arable land | TG01 |
| Arable land lying fallow | Arable land | FA01 |
Eligibility of protected land
| Protected land | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) | Eligible – you must get SSSI consent before you do this action (read section 10.3 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI scheme information to find out how to do this) |
| Historic and archaeological features | Ineligible – you must not enter any area that contains an historic or archaeological feature into this action. This only affects the area where the feature is located in a land parcel. You can apply for this action on the remaining area in the land parcel if it’s eligible. |
Available area you can enter into this action
Part of the available area in a land parcel.
Rotational or static action
This action is rotational or static. This means you can either:
- move its location for the second and third years of this action’s duration
- do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration
What to do
By early spring, you must establish a fallow cultivated plot within the arable crop.
You must manage the fallow cultivated plot in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim. This includes managing natural regeneration if it means there is not enough bare ground for nesting birds.
You must retain the fallow cultivated plot until the arable crop is harvested in the summer and the bird nesting season is complete (usually this will be late July).
You can maintain an existing lapwing plot to get paid for this action if it:
- meets this action’s requirements
- is not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as Countryside Stewardship option AB5 (lapwing plots)
When to do it
You must do this action each year of its 3-year duration.
If this action’s start date means it’s too late to establish the lapwing plot, you must do this within 12 months of this action’s start date.
In the final year of this action’s duration, you must do this action until the arable crop is harvested in the summer or this action’s end date, whichever is earlier.
How to do it
It’s up to you how you do this action, as long as you:
- follow this action’s requirements – these are identified by a ‘must’
- do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim
You may find it helpful to read the ‘advice to help you do this action’, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
Evidence to keep
You must keep written evidence that land entered into this action is not at risk of soil erosion or surface runoff. You can use the soil management plan produced for CSAM1 or SAM1 to identify this.
You must also keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
- field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
- photographs or other documentation
If it’s not clear that you’ve 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 on the same area as 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’re done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read ‘What to do’ and ‘When to do it’ to find out when this action must be done.
| Scheme | Action or option codes |
|---|---|
| SFI 2024 actions | AHW6, AHW7, OFC3, OFC4, OFM4, OFM5, PRF1, PRF2, PRF4, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, CSAM2 |
| SFI 2023 actions | IPM1, IPM4, NUM1, SAM1 |
| CS options | AB2, AB6, AB11, AB14, AB15, HS3, HS9, OR3, OR4, OT3, OT4 |
| 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 ‘Eligible land in other funding schemes’ 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’s not part of this action’s requirements.
Choosing the right location
It can help if you locate the nesting plots for lapwing:
- on level or slightly sloping ground
- next to extensively managed grassland where lapwings can feed their chicks
- on arable fields which are at least around 5 hectares (ha), or around 10ha if woodland forms at least a quarter of the field boundary
- away from waterlogged areas or land with weeds such as black-grass, wild oats or sterile brome
Size of plots
To maximise the benefits for nesting lapwing, you can establish plots which are at least around 1ha up to 5ha in size.
You can use this action in a sequence with basic overwinter stubble to provide a continuity of habitat for species such as skylark and corn bunting.
How to establish the plots
You can establish the lapwing plots by either:
- cultivation – try to create the appearance of a very rough seedbed, as lapwings rarely nest on a bare surface that’s too smooth
- spraying to create the fallow
When to establish the plots
You can establish the lapwing plots on lighter, chalky, sandy and loamy free-draining soils in February or March.
On heavier soils, you can:
- plough plots the previous autumn
- allow them to weather down to provide suitable nesting conditions by early spring
Machinery access
You can avoid damaging the lapwing plots when using machinery to carry out day-to-day farm operations (such as spraying and fertilising) if it:
- keeps to the tramlines
- is switched off when passing over the plots
Check plots and plot tramlines for signs of nests before you do these operations.
Updates to this page
Published 21 May 2024Last updated 15 August 2024 + show all updates
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AHW10, AHW11 and CIPM4 removed from SFI 2024 actions.
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Where you can do this action - an eligible land type is defined in section 5.1 ‘Eligible land types for SFI’ in the SFI scheme information. Eligibility of protected land - updated link to section 10.3 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI scheme information. You can apply for this action on the area in a land parcel that does not contain an historic or archaeological feature. Published voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action’s requirements.
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First published.