BND1: Maintain dry stone walls
What you must do to get paid for this action and advice on how to do it.
This is an action in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme: expanded offer for 2024. You must read the SFI scheme information to understand the scheme rules and how to apply.
Duration
3 years
How much you’ll be paid
£27 per 100 metres (m) for both sides
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that there are dry stone walls maintained in good condition.
The purpose of this is to:
- help manage livestock
- provide habitats for lichens, mosses, ferns and wildlife
- maintain landscape and historic features
Where you can do this action
An eligible dry stone wall for this action must be:
- a vertical structure that’s built of natural stone
- of traditional dry stone wall construction, which can include mortar if it’s part of the traditional stone walling method
- at least 20 metres long, measured between 2 end points
- in good condition
To be in good condition, the dry stone wall must be both:
- continuous – which means there are no gaps along its entire length, apart from structural wall features such as stiles, stone gate posts and sheep creeps
- complete – which means the wall is at a height in keeping with local style, with top stones in place if they’re part of the local style
You can only do this action on both sides of the entire length of an eligible dry stone wall. This means you must have management control of both sides of the wall.
You can enter both sides of a roadside wall, or a wall that borders a neighbour’s land, if you meet both of following conditions:
- you have a legal right or obligation to maintain the wall
- you can meet this action’s requirements
Eligibility of protected land
| Protected land | Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) | Eligible – you must get SSSI consent before you do this action (read section 5.5 ‘Land that’s a site of special scientific interest (SSSI)’) |
| Historic and archaeological features | Eligible – you must get a HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.6 ‘Land with historic or archaeological features’) |
Available area you can enter into this action
Not applicable, as this is a linear action.
Rotational or static action
This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.
What to do
You must maintain dry stone walls entered into this action in good condition. To do this, you must:
- visually check their condition and identify any sections that need to be repaired
- carry out any necessary repairs
- keep a record (written or photographic) of any need for repairs you identify, and the repair work you do – including the date you identify the need and when the work was done
When you carry out any necessary repairs, you must:
- use materials in keeping with the local style and characteristic
- retain any existing features such as top stones, sheep creeps, stiles and stone gate posts
When to do it
You must:
- check the condition of the walls at least once during each year of this action’s 3-year duration
- carry out any necessary repairs within 12 months of identifying the need, or by this action’s end date if you identify the need for repairs during the final year of this action’s duration
How to do it
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
Advice to help you do this action will be published before applications are fully launched from summer 2024. It will not be part of this action’s requirements.
Evidence to keep
You must keep the required written or photographic record and supply this evidence if we ask for it.
Other actions or options you can do with this action
You can do the following actions or options in land parcels with eligible boundaries entered into this action.
| Scheme | Action or option codes |
|---|---|
| SFI 2024 actions | All SFI 2024 actions, except CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3 and WBD2 |
| SFI 2023 actions | All SFI 2023 actions, except HRW1, HRW2 and HRW3 |
| CS options | All CS management options, except BE3 |
| ES options | All ES revenue options, except boundary options |
| SFI pilot standards | All SFI pilot standards, except the SFI pilot hedgerows standard |