What the action involves
This action’s aim is that there’s a well-managed, intact grass sward growing over the historic or archaeological feature throughout the year, with minimal scrub cover and bare ground.
The purpose of this is to:
- protect historic and archaeological features
- reduce the risk of root damage to historic and archaeological features
- reduce diffuse pollution and soil erosion, depending on the site’s location
- help maintain and conserve landscape character
What you must do
Added link to section 10 ‘Get all necessary regulatory consents, permissions and licences in place’ in the SFI scheme information. 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 do this action from its start date, throughout each year of this action’s 5- year 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 of the historic or archaeological feature and the extent of scrub cover before you start doing this action
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 OFC1, OFC2, OFM1, OFM2, OFM3, PRF2, UPL1, UPL2, SFI 2024 actions UPL3, UPL7, UPL8, UPL9, UPL10, CIPM1, CNUM1, CMOR1, CSAM1
SFI 2023 actions IPM1, NUM1, MOR1, SAM1
CS options UP1, OR1, OR2, OT1, OT2, OT6
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
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.
- CS Higher Tier — CHS4: £215 per hectare per year, over 5 years
Where you can do it
You can do this action on land located above and below the moorland line that’s:
- identified on your SFI Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER) as containing an historic or archaeological feature – you must get a SFI HEFER before you apply for this action
- got existing scrub cover on more than 5% of its area
- an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1 ‘Eligible land types for SFI’ in the SFI scheme information)
- registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
- declared with a land use code that’s compatible with the eligible land cover
Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code
Permanent grassland Permanent grassland PG01
Scrub – ungrazeable WO25 Scrub Notional - scrub NF03
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
Total or 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.