BFS6: 6m to 12m habitat strip next to watercourses
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
5 years
How much you’ll be paid
£742 per hectare (ha) per year – calculate the hectarage by:
- measuring the length of the strip in metres (m)
- multiplying that length by the relevant width (6m to 12m) to give the area in m2
- dividing that area by 10,000 to convert it into ha
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that, throughout the year, there’s a habitat strip next to a watercourse:
- with a mosaic of grassland vegetation and naturally colonised or planted native tree and scrub species, which are near the watercourse (riparian) and have an open canopy
- with tussocky grasses allowed to develop
- without livestock, tracks or compacted areas
The purpose of this is to:
- reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss
- increase water filtration
- slow down water runoff
- provide shade to the watercourse
- provide habitats and food for wildlife
- form links between other habitats
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on agricultural land next to a watercourse (ditch, river, stream or canal) located below the moorland line that’s:
- 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
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 |
| Improved permanent grassland | Permanent grassland | PG01 |
| Scrub | Scrub – ungrazeable | WO25 |
| Scrub | Notional – scrub | NF03 |
Eligibility of protected land
| Land or features with protection | 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 with 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 static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.
What to do
You must establish and maintain a habitat strip that:
- is at least 6m wide and up to 12m wide (on average in each land parcel) – it can be more than 12m wide, but you’ll only be paid for the 12m width
- buffers a ditch, river, stream or canal
To establish the habitat strip, you must do one or a combination of both of the following:
- allow trees and scrub to regenerate naturally
- plant a variety of native riparian tree and shrub species
You can remove soil compaction to prepare land for this action (if needed).
Once the habitat strip is established, you must manage it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim. This includes:
- cutting woody growth to create and maintain an open canopy along the bank so there’s dappled shade for the watercourse
- controlling the spread of injurious weeds, nettles or invasive non-native species
- removing cut material (when you’re cutting) to control woody growth or the spread of injurious weeds, nettles or invasive non-native species
- leaving any standing and fallen deadwood in place, if it’s safe to do so
- leaving any mature and veteran trees in place, if it’s safe to do so
You must not do the following on the habitat strip:
- allow livestock to access
- use it for regular vehicular access, turning or storage (for example, storing bales or machinery)
- apply fertilisers or manures
- apply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, or nettles
- create or maintain hard standing, boardwalks or closely mown access routes running parallel to the ditch, river, stream or canal
In addition, you must not cut or remove vegetation unless you’re doing it to:
- control woody growth or the spread of injurious weeds, nettles or invasive non-native species,
- maintain existing access routes that are at an angle of 90 degrees to the watercourse
- help establish the habitat strip on previously arable land
You can maintain an existing habitat strip 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 (CS) option SW11 (riparian management strip)
When to do it
You must:
- establish the habitat strip within the first 12 months of this action’s duration
- maintain the habitat strip throughout each subsequent year of this action’s duration
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 evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
- field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
- photographs and 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 | OFC1, OFC3, OFM1, OFM4, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1 |
| SFI 2023 actions | IPM1, NUM1, SAM1 |
| CS options | SW15, SW16, OR1, OT1 |
| 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.
Establishing the habitat strip
To establish the habitat strip, you can:
- sow a grass and herb seed mix where there’s no ground cover – this can help to establish it more quickly and reduce the risk of soil erosion
- plant native tree and shrub species along the bank and bank top to provide dappled shade to the watercourse – this could include species such as alder, willow, sallow or guelder rose
To help initial establishment, you may need to control injurious weeds, nettles or invasive non-native species more often over the first few years.
Check:
- if you need permission from the Environment Agency before you apply herbicides near to a watercourse
- the rules which apply to invasive non-native plant species
Managing the habitat strip
Once the habitat strip is established, this action requires you to manage it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.
You can manage the habitat strip in stages to minimise disturbance and create varied habitat.
Where existing trees form a continuous line along the bank or bank top causing dark shade to the watercourse, you can:
- manage woody growth cover to create a more open canopy – doing this on around one third of the area will usually allow sufficient light to reach the water
- leave occasional overhanging tree roots and branches to provide some cover and a future supply of woody material to the watercourse
To prevent livestock access to the habitat strip during the grazing season, you can use temporary high tensile wire or electric fencing (without the need for a permit). This type of fencing can help to reduce the risk of debris snagging and the fence being damaged if the watercourse floods.
You can maintain existing fishing access to the watercourse (usually 2m x 2m swims on the bank top). Try to avoid creating areas of bare soil on the bank top by maintaining a grass sward.
Capital grants to help you do this action
You can apply for capital grants to help you do this action, including:
- Tree surgery (TE16) to carry out hinging of trees into the watercourse
- Supply and plant tree (TE4)
- Fencing (FG1)
- Sheep netting (FG2)
- Permanent electric fencing (FG3)
- Pasture pumps and associated pipework (LV5)
- Livestock troughs (LV7)
- Pipework associated with livestock troughs (LV8)
Updates to this page
Last updated 15 August 2024 + show all updates
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PRF2 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. Eligible land - scrub is an eligible land type. 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. What to do - storing bales or machinery added as an example of ‘storage’. 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.