BND2: Maintain earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks
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
£11 per 100 metres (m) for one side
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is that there are earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks maintained in good condition.
The purpose of this is to:
- help manage livestock
- provide habitats for lichens, mosses and ferns, and wildlife
- maintain landscape and historic features
Where you can do this action
To be eligible for this action, the bank must be:
- either a raised earth or turf-faced bank (an earth bank), or a raised earth bank faced with natural stone (a stone-faced hedgebank) – there can be hedge growth on top of the bank
- distinct from the surrounding landform
- a land parcel boundary
- at least 20m long, measured between 2 end points
- in good condition
To be in good condition, the earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank must be both:
- continuous, with no gaps along its entire length
- complete, so the bank is at a height in keeping with local style and a stone-faced hedgebank has facing stones in place
You can do this action on the entire length of either one side or both sides of an eligible earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank. 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 bank, or a bank that borders a neighbour’s land, if you meet both of the following:
- you have a legal right or obligation to maintain the bank
- 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 earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks 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
- retain any existing features such as top stones, sheep creeps, stiles and stone gate posts
When you carry out any necessary repairs, you must retain any existing features such as top stones, sheep crops, stiles and stone gate posts.
When to do it
You must:
- check the condition of the banks 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 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 BND1 |
| SFI 2023 actions | All SFI 2023 actions |
| CS options | All CS management options |
| ES options | All ES revenue options, except boundary options |
| SFI pilot standards | All SFI pilot standards, except the SFI pilot hedgerows standard |