BND2: Maintain earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks
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
£11 per 100 metres (m) for one side
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that there are earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks maintained in good condition.
The purpose of this is to:
- help manage livestock
- provide habitats for lichens, mosses and ferns, and wildlife
- maintain landscape and historic features
Where you can do this action
To be eligible for this action, the bank must be:
- either a raised earth or turf-faced bank (an earth bank), or a raised earth bank faced with natural stone (a stone-faced hedgebank) – there can be woody growth on top of the bank (for example, Cornish or Devon hedges)
- distinct from the surrounding landform
- a land parcel boundary
- at least 20m long, measured between 2 end points – read ‘advice to help you do this action’ to find out how to measure this
- in good condition
To be in good condition, the earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank must be both:
- continuous, with no gaps along its entire length
- complete, so the bank is at a height in keeping with local style and a stone-faced hedgebank has facing stones in place
You can do this action on the entire length of either one side or both sides of an eligible earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank. You must have management control of one or both sides, depending on what you enter into this action.
You can enter both sides of a roadside bank, or a bank that borders a neighbour’s land, if you meet both of the following:
- you have a legal right or obligation to maintain the bank
- you can meet this action’s requirements
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 | Eligible – you must get a SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.6 ‘Land with historic or archaeological features’ 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.
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 maintain earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks entered into this action in good condition. To do this, you must:
- visually check their condition and identify any sections that need to be repaired
- carry out any necessary repairs
- keep a record (written or photographic) of any need for repairs you identify, and the repair work you do – including the date you identify the need and when the work was done
- retain any existing features such as top stones, sheep creeps, stiles and stone gate posts
When you carry out any necessary repairs, you must retain any existing features such as top stones, sheep crops, stiles and stone gate posts.
When to do it
You must:
- check the condition of the banks at least once during each year of this action’s 3-year duration
- carry out any necessary repairs within 12 months of identifying the need, or by this action’s end date if you identify need for repairs during the final 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 the required written or photographic record and supply this 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 |
| CS options | All CS management options |
| 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’s not part of this action’s requirements.
How to measure your earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank
For the purposes of measuring the length of your earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank between 2 end points, an end point can include:
- a point of connection with another bank, wall, hedgerow or other features (such as a fence, ditch, road or building)
- where the feature changes management control or ownership
How to visually check the condition of your earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks
This action requires you to visually check the condition of your earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks and identify any sections that need to be repaired.
When you visually check the condition of your banks , factors which could mean your walls need to be repaired include:
- fallen stones
- slumping
- overgrown vegetation
- damage by livestock
- damage by machinery
How to carry out necessary repairs
Before you carry out any necessary repairs on your earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank, check for signs of nesting birds. Birds, nests and eggs are protected by law, so if you see signs of nesting birds, delay work until the birds fledge.
When you carry out any necessary repairs on your bank, try to avoid carrying out work:
- during periods of drought or extremely wet weather, as this may result in an unstable structure
- in windy conditions in dry areas where soil is prone to wind blow
- when there’s a risk of frost damage
You can also try to:
- transport materials when conditions are dry – this will help to avoid damaging the ground
- remove leftover materials from the site after you have carried out the work
- restore the ground where you have carried out the work
If the bank has a live hedge on top, you can shovel up soil and turf which has slumped to the base of the bank and spread it among the hedge plants. This can help to keep the hedge plants healthy and strong.
There are other SFI actions that you can do on the hedgerows on top of your bank. You can find these SFI actions under ‘Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action’. They include:
- CHRW1: Assess and record hedgerow condition
- CHRW2: Manage hedgerows
- CHRW3: Maintain or establish hedgerow trees
Updates to this page
Published 21 May 2024Last updated 5 August 2024 + show all updates
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Where you can do this action - there can be ‘woody growth’ (instead of ‘hedge growth’) on top of the bank. Added Cornish or Devon hedges as an example. Eligibility of protected land - updated link to section 10.3 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI scheme information. 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.