CIGL3: 4m to 12m grass buffer strip on improved grassland

The following changes have been made to this action for SFI26 (compared with the SFI24 version):

• you can now do this action on eligible land that’s in a flood risk area, and there’s updated wording to cover if a flood risk management authority carries out flood risk management works on that land – this only applies to SFI26 agreements, not existing SFI23 and SFI24 agreements
• minor updates to standard wording which appears in all area-based SFI actions

This action’s aim is that there’s a grass buffer strip:

• with an intact grass sward throughout the year
• without tracks, compacted areas or poaching

The purpose of this is to:

• protect existing landscape and heritage features
• provide habitat for wildlife
• prevent pollutants, such as sediment and nutrients, from being carried in surface water runoff, if located next to a watercourse
• support an integrated pest management approach, if located close to cropped areas, which can help to reduce costs and improve farm resilience

What you must do

You must establish and maintain a grass strip on land entered into this action that’s:

• at least 4m 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
• on the edge of improved grassland

The grass strip must buffer an existing landscape feature, or certain heritage features, such as:

• hedgerows
• stone walls
• woodland
• ditches, rivers and streams
• upstanding historic and archaeological features, such as earthworks, in-field structures or buildings

You can also locate the grass buffer strip next to:

• trackways that channel run-off water directly into a watercourse
• fence lines that form links between areas of wildlife habitat

You must make sure the grass strip is in addition to any regulatory requirements relating to buffer strips.

Once the grass strip is established, you must manage it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim.

You can graze the grass buffer strip with livestock, provided there’s an intact grass sward throughout the year, without tracks, compacted areas or poaching.

Flood risk management authorities, such as Internal Drainage Boards, may carry out flood risk management works on the grass buffer strip if it’s located in a flood risk area. Check the flood risk map and read the guidance on how to use the flood risk map. If this happens, you must repair any damage to the grass buffer strip as soon as reasonably practicable.

You must not do the following on the grass buffer strip once it’s established:

• cut it for hay or silage, so it can provide a refuge for farmland wildlife
• use it for regular vehicular access, turning or storage (for example, storing bales or machinery)
• apply any 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
• use pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat for the control of injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken

You can maintain an existing grass buffer strip to get paid for this action if it:

• meet this action’s requirements
• are not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as CS option SW2 (4m to 6m buffer strip on intensive grassland)

When to do it

You must:

• establish the grass buffer strip within the first 12 months of this action’s duration
• maintain the same area of grass buffer strip in each subsequent year of this action’s duration

Where you can do it

You can do this action on agricultural land 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

You can also do this action on eligible land that’s in a flood risk area. Check the flood risk map and read the guidance on how to use the flood risk map. This can include land which may have flood risk management works carried out on it by a flood risk management authority, such as Internal Drainage Boards.

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 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.