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
What you must 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 it
- 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, nettles or bracken
- 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 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
Where you can do it
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 5.1.1 ‘Eligible land types’ in the SFI26 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
Rotational or static
This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.
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.
