What the action involves
This action’s aim is that there’s an uncultivated, naturally regenerated grass buffer which:
- is around an in-field tree on arable land
- has minimal weeds and bare ground
The purpose of this is to:
- protect the tree roots from damage by agricultural cultivation
- retain the trees as important features in the local landscape
- provide standing and fallen deadwood habitats for invertebrates
What you must do
(DBH) and its relationship to area per tree
Advice to help you Published voluntary advice to help you do this action. It is do this action not part of this action’s requirements
How to do this action
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.
When to do it
You must:
- establish the grass buffer within 12 months of this action’s start date
- maintain the grass buffer throughout each subsequent 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.
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 OFC3, OFC4, OFM4, OFM5, PRF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1
SFI 2023 actions IPM1, NUM1, SAM1
CS options OR3, OR4, OT3, OT4
ES options No ES revenue options
SFI pilot No area-based SFI pilot standards 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 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
Where you can do it
To be eligible for this action, the tree can be dead or alive. It must:
- be in-field
- have a trunk that’s at least 30cm diameter at around 1.5m above ground level (also known as diameter breast height)
- not be part of a group or line of 4 or more trees with overlapping canopies
You can do this action on eligible trees on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s:
- an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1 ‘Eligible land types for SFI’ in the SFI scheme information) at the start of this action’s duration – if the land type changes because of this action, it will not affect eligibility (for example, allowing scrub to develop)
- 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
Land use codes for arable Arable land used to Arable land crops or leguminous and grow crops nitrogen-fixing crops
Temporary grassland Arable land TG01
Arable land lying fallow Arable land FA01
Protected land
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
Part of the available area in a land parcel.
Rotational or static
This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.