BFS5: Protect in-field trees on intensive grassland

This action’s aim is that there’s an uncultivated, naturally regenerated grass buffer which:

• is around an in-field tree on grassland that’s managed intensively
• 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 not do this action 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 that land entered into this action is typically receiving at least 100 kilograms (kg) per ha per year of nitrogen.

You must also 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 OFC1, OFM1, PRF2, CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1

SFI 2023 actions IPM1, NUM1, SAM1

CS options OR1, OT1

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