CHRW1: Assess and record hedgerow condition
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
£5 per 100 metres (m) for one side of an eligible hedgerow per year
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that you:
- understand the condition of your hedgerows
- effectively plan how they can be managed to improve their condition
Where you can do this action
An eligible hedgerow for this action must be:
- a boundary line of shrubs, or both shrubs and trees
- over 20m long
- less than 10m wide
The hedgerow can be:
- newly planted, laid or coppiced
- woody growth on top of an earth or stone-faced bank, for example, Cornish or Devon hedges
There can be gaps in the hedgerow if they’re not more than:
- 20m long
- 10% of the total length of the relevant hedgerow when you add all the gaps in it together
If the gaps add up to more than 10%, you can only do the action on the total length of the hedgerow if you’ll plant up the gaps during this action’s 3-year duration. You can apply for Capital Grants for hedgerow gapping up (BN7) and planting new hedges (BN11) to help you do this.
You can do this action on either one side or both sides of an eligible hedgerow. 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 hedgerow, or a hedgerow that borders a neighbour’s land, if you meet both of the following:
- you have a legal right or obligation to maintain the hedgerow
- 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. You can choose what length of eligible hedgerows to enter into this 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:
- assess the condition of all the hedgerows entered into this action
- produce a written hedgerow condition assessment record for these hedgerows
If you’ve already assessed these hedgerows and produced a written hedgerow condition assessment record in the last 5 years, you can use it to get paid for this action.
When to do it
You must:
- assess the condition of the hedgerows and complete a written hedgerow condition assessment record within 12 months of this action’s start date
- review the condition of the hedgerows and update the hedgerow condition assessment record in 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 the required written record of your hedgerow condition assessment. It can be recorded on paper or digitally. You must 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, except HRW1 |
| CS options | All CS management options, including BE3 (management of hedgerows) |
| ES options | All ES revenue options |
| SFI pilot standards | All SFI pilot standards, including all levels 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.
Completing a hedgerow condition assessment
You can choose how to complete this action’s hedgerow condition assessment. It could be a simple survey.
You can do a hedgerow condition assessment at any time of year because you’re assessing the hedgerow’s structure, not species. However, you may find it easier to see your hedgerow’s structure during the winter months, when there is less foliage.
You may find it helpful to read the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES) guidance on surveying to assess hedgerow condition.
Producing a written hedgerow condition assessment record
You can choose how to record the written hedgerow condition assessment. There’s no standard format. It can be on paper or digital.
You may find it helpful to use the PTES Healthy Hedgerows Survey online tool to help you do this action. It’s a rapid hedgerow health checking survey which is available as an app for mobile phones, or you can complete the survey on paper.
If you use this tool, it may generate more hedgerow management options than are available in the SFI actions you can do on hedgerows. If this is the case, make sure you do what’s required in the relevant SFI action.
Updates to this page
Last updated 5 August 2024 + show all updates
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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.