What the action involves
This action’s aim is that you:
- understand the condition of your hedgerows
- effectively plan how they can be managed to improve their condition
What you must do
You must:
- assess the condition of all the hedgerows entered into this action
- produce a written hedgerow condition assessment record for these hedgerows
If you’ve already assessed these hedgerows and produced a written hedgerow condition assessment record in the last 5 years, you can use it to get paid for this action.
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:
- assess the condition of the hedgerows and complete a written hedgerow condition assessment record within 12 months of this action’s start date
- review the condition of the hedgerows and update the hedgerow condition assessment record in each subsequent year of this action’s duration
Evidence to keep
You must keep the required written record of your hedgerow condition assessment. It can be recorded on paper or digitally. You must supply this evidence if we ask for it.
The same action appears in the other schemes under a different code. The work is broadly the same; the rate and the length of the commitment are not.
- SFI 2023 — HRW1: £5.00 per 100 metres for one side of an eligible hedgerow per year, over 3 years
Where you can do it
An eligible hedgerow for this action must be:
- a boundary line of shrubs, or both shrubs and trees
- ver 20m long
- less than 10m wide
The hedgerow can be:
- newly planted, laid or coppiced
- woody growth on top of an earth or stone-faced bank, for example, Cornish or
Devon hedges
There can be gaps in the hedgerow if they’re not more than:
- 20m long
- 10% of the total length of the relevant hedgerow when you add all the gaps in it together
If the gaps add up to more than 10%, you can only do the action on the total length of the hedgerow if you’ll plant up the gaps during this action’s 3-year duration. You can apply for Capital Grants for hedgerow gapping up (BN7) and planting new hedges (BN11) to help you do this.
You can do this action on either one side or both sides of an eligible hedgerow. You must have management control of one or both sides, depending on what you enter into this action.
You can enter both sides of a roadside hedgerow, or a hedgerow that borders a neighbour’s land, if you meet both of the following:
- you have a legal right or obligation to maintain the hedgerow
- you can meet this action’s requirements
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
Not applicable, as this is a linear action. You can choose what length of eligible hedgerows to enter into this action.
Rotational or static
This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.