BND2: Maintain earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks

No substantive changes have been made to this action for SFI26 (compared with the SFI24 version). There have only been minor updates to standard wording which appears in all linear SFI actions.

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

What you must 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

Where you can do it

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 the ‘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

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 the required written or photographic record and supply this evidence if we ask for it.