SCR2: Manage scrub and open habitat mosaics
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
£350 per hectare (ha) per year
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that there’s a mosaic of scrub, grasses and other flowering plants, with:
- scrub cover managed to maintain the mosaic
- a variety of shrub species, heights and structure
- growing trees and deadwood, where relevant
The purpose of this is to:
- provide pollen and nectar sources for beneficial insects, such as bumble bees, solitary bees and butterflies
- provide food and habitats for birds and mammals
- improve the quality of woodland edges and transitions between other habitats
- protect soils and watercourses by reducing soil erosion
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on land located below the moorland line that’s:
- got existing scrub cover on at least 10% of its area
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Temporary grassland | Arable land | TG01 |
| Arable land lying fallow | Arable land | FA01 |
| Permanent horticultural crops | Permanent crops | TC01 |
| Permanent grassland | Permanent grassland | PG01 |
| Scrub | Scrub – ungrazeable Notional – scrub | WO25 NF03 |
Eligibility of protected land
| Protected land | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) | Ineligible – you must not enter any area that’s designated as an SSSI into this action |
| 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
Total or 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 manage the area entered into this action in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim, including:
- managing the scrub and non-woody grassy vegetation by patchy cutting or light cattle grazing to maintain the mosaic
- managing the scrub so there’s dense and scattered scrub on between 10% and 60% of the area, as well as open areas
- managing the non-woody vegetation in a way that allows for scrub regeneration and produces a varied sward
- 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:
- graze or cut the area in a way that means this action’s aim cannot reasonably be achieved
- graze the area with sheep, because their grazing habits would not achieve this action’s aim
- plough, cultivate or re-seed
- carry out mechanical activities, such as cutting, in a way that may disturb breeding birds or damage nests, as birds, nests and eggs are protected by law
- apply fertilisers, manures or lime
- apply pesticides, except for herbicides, to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken
- release gamebirds
- carry out supplementary feeding of grazing livestock or game birds, except for providing non-energy mineral blocks
- carry out drainage works or change existing drainage, without written permission before work starts
You can maintain an existing area of scrub and open habitat mosaics 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 WD7 (management of successional areas and scrub)
When to do it
You must do this action each year of its 3-year 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:
- stocking records to show grazing activity at a land parcel level
- 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 | CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1 | |
| SFI 2023 actions | IPM1, NUM1, SAM1 | |
| CS options | No CS revenue options | |
| 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 one of the following supplemental actions on land entered into this base action:
- SPM4: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (50-80%)
- SPM5: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (more than 80%)
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 a location
Scrub will grow in unmanaged areas close to trees and shrubs, where there is an existing seed source.
You can manage existing scrub at most locations, such as:
- on field corners
- alongside woodland edges or hedgerows
- on land which is difficult to graze
Managing scrub and open habitat mosaics
You can maintain variety of shrub species, heights and structure by:
- allowing new areas of young scrub to grow
- increasing areas of open space within larger patches of scrub
The best way to maintain diverse scrub is with light browsing and grazing by cattle and wildlife. It’s best to graze during the summer and limit the number of cattle. At light density, cattle can graze and trample scrub to create open patches and maintain the habitat mosaic.
You may need to cut scrub in some areas if cattle either:
- are not available
- will not graze the scrub
Low levels of deer browsing can also maintain diverse scrub, but at higher levels can browse out any new scrub. You may want to consider deer management to ensure successful regeneration.
You can coppice small patches or areas in autumn or winter, to avoid disturbing breeding birds. Try to avoid cutting patches that are next to each other in subsequent years, as this reduces the foliage available for invertebrates to feed on.
You may find it helpful to read Natural England’s guidance on the management of scrub.
Capital grants to help you do this action
You can apply for capital grants to help you do this action, including:
- Fencing (FG1)
- Sheep netting (FG2)
- Permanent electric fencing (FG3)
- Rabbit fencing supplement (FG4)
- Deer fencing (FG9)
- Temporary deer fencing (FG10)
- Wooden field gate (FG12)
- Badger gate (FG14)
- Water gates (FG15)
- Deer high seat (FY1)
A new capital item for tree planting in large cages (TE15) is due to be launched later in 2024.
Check if you need regulatory consents, permissions or licences
You may need to apply for a:
- felling licence from the Forestry Commission if cutting areas of scrub
- forestry environmental impact assessment (EIA)
Read section 10 ‘Get all necessary regulatory consents, permissions and licences in place’ in the SFI scheme information for more details.
Updates to this page
Last updated 15 August 2024 + show all updates
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SPM4 and SPM5 added as supplemental 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 - 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 - added the reason why you must not use sheep to graze. Added link to GOV.UK guidance on birds, nests and eggs being protected by law. You can provide non-energy mineral blocks. 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.