CHRW3: Maintain or establish hedgerow trees
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
£10 per 100 metres (m) for both sides of an eligible hedgerow per year
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that there are hedgerow trees maintained or established.
The purpose of this is to provide:
- habitat for wildlife
- carbon storage benefits
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 only do this action on both sides of an eligible hedgerow. This means you must have management control of both sides of the hedgerow.
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 make sure there’s an average of at least 1 hedgerow tree per 100m over the total length of hedgerows entered into this action. This means some 100m lengths can contain no trees, as long as you meet this average.
You can do this action by:
- maintaining existing trees growing within the hedgerow
- establishing new hedgerow trees
To establish a new hedgerow tree, you must either:
- select an existing sapling in the hedgerow with a single straight stem
- plant a new sapling – you can apply for Capital Grants to plant a hedgerow tree (TE1) and protect it with a tree guard (TE6)
You must identify each newly established hedgerow tree by tagging it or using another method to identify it clearly, so it can be avoided when managing the hedgerow.
You can include dead and dying trees when counting how many hedgerow trees are in a given length of hedgerow. This decaying wood can provide a habitat for invertebrates, nesting birds and bats. This does not include newly planted tree saplings that die before they become established.
You must not damage the hedgerow trees, or cut them unless there’s a clear need, for example:
- to prolong the life of the tree
- for health and safety reasons (such as removing branches that pose a risk to people)
- because it’s a tradition in the local landscape (such as coppicing or pollarding willow)
When to do it
You must have done this action by the end of this action’s 3-year duration, so it meets the requirements explained above.
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 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 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 HRW3 |
| CS options | All CS management options, including BE3 (management of hedgerows) |
| 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 establish new hedgerow trees
To establish new trees in hedgerows, you can:
- select an existing sapling in the hedgerow – try to choose undamaged stems that are growing straight up all the way from the base, as these are more likely to produce a good, strong trunk
- plant a new sapling
If possible, try to:
- plant or select a mix of different, site-suited species to support a wider variety of wildlife
- avoid planting ash, because of ash dieback disease
- use tree guards to protect the trees from browsing animals, such as deer, and grazing animals
- avoid planting or selecting a sapling beneath or near to (around 20 metres) overhead powerlines
- avoid planting or selecting a sapling where it might obstruct roads, tracks or rights of way
Planting new saplings
If you’re planting new saplings in a hedgerow, it’s usually best to do this between November and March, when they’re dormant and can be supplied bare-root.
On drier sites, planting at the start of winter can give the roots more time to establish. Planting at the end of winter on wetter sites can help stop the roots from rotting in the wet ground.
When you’re planting new saplings in the hedgerow, try to:
- choose a local source, to avoid the risk of introducing alien pests and diseases – you can use the Plant Healthy website to help you choose a source
- plant in existing gaps in the hedgerow, so there’s less competition from existing plants – alternatively, plant into small gaps cut into the hedgerow if there are no existing gaps
- plant them far enough apart (usually at least 20m) from existing trees so they do not shade or compete with them once they mature
- plant them far enough away from boundary walls so they’re not damaged by the tree as it grows
- stake trees which are more than 1m tall for their first year
- keep the area immediately around the sapling weed-free until it’s established
- water them during dry spells or if they show any signs of wilting
Before you plant a hedgerow tree:
- check if there are any regulatory restrictions which may affect this – read section 10 ‘Get all necessary regulatory consents, permissions and licences in place’ in the SFI scheme information for more details
- if you’re a tenant, check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required
How to identify newly established hedgerow trees
This action requires you to identify each newly established hedgerow tree. This is so anyone trimming or flailing the hedgerow can avoid the tree.
To identify a hedgerow tree, you can tag it by:
- using brightly coloured, durable material
- putting a tagged stick near it, if the tree is difficult to reach
- putting a clearly visible stake in the hedge next to the tree
It’s advisable to check the trees each year to make sure the tags (or other method of identification) are still in place, replacing them as necessary.
Protecting hedgerow trees from damage
This action requires you not to damage hedgerow trees.
Hedgerow trees may be damaged by:
- how you manage the land around the tree – most tree roots usually grow up to a depth of around 30 centimetres and can spread to several times the width of the canopy
- livestock – they can compact the soil and strip the bark
- farm machinery
You can manage the area around the tree to help protect the roots and the structure of the soil they’re growing in. For example, you can:
- control scrub and tall vegetation, as these can compete with the tree roots
- apply a mulch, such as wood chips, which can help to relieve soil compaction and control weeds
You can also prevent livestock from compacting the soil and stripping the bark, which can damage the trees.
Cutting hedgerow trees
This action allows you to cut back a hedgerow tree if there’s a clear need (you can find examples of what this means under ‘What to do’).
If you need to cut hedgerow trees:
- before you cut them, check if there are any regulatory restrictions which may affect what you’re intending to do – for example, if you need a tree felling licence (read section 10 ‘Get all necessary regulatory consents, permissions and licences in place’ in the SFI scheme information for more details)
- employ a qualified tree surgeon
- prune the trees during the winter months when they are dormant (unless you’re pruning for health and safety reasons, which you can do at any time)
- avoid pruning when the trees are in active growth in the spring
If possible, try to leave cut branches or piles of dead wood to help provide habitat for wildlife.
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.