This is a Sustainable Farming Incentive 2026 (SFI26) action. Read the SFI26 scheme information to understand what you’re required to do under an SFI26 agreement and how to apply.
\n\nSelect ‘See all updates’ at the start of this page to find out how this action has changed for SFI26 compared with SFI24.
\n\nFor SFI24 actions, read the SFI24 agreement holder’s information.
\n3 years
\n\n£588 per hectare (ha) per year
\n\nThis action’s aim is that there’s a mosaic of scrub, grasses and other flowering plants with:
\n\nscrub cover allowed to develop, and managed so the mosaic is maintained
\na variety of species, heights, and structure
\ngrowing trees and deadwood, where relevant
\nThe purpose of this is to:
\n\nprovide pollen and nectar sources for beneficial insects, such as bumble bees, solitary bees and butterflies
\nprovide food and habitats for birds and mammals
\nimprove the quality of woodland edges and transitions between other habitats
\nprotect soils and watercourses by reducing soil erosion
\nYou can do this action on land located below the moorland line that’s:
\n\ngot existing scrub cover on less than 10% of its area
\nan eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1.1 ‘Eligible land types’ in the SFI26 scheme information)
\nregistered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
\ndeclared with a land use code that’s compatible with the eligible land cover
\nThis action is not suitable for:
\n\npeatland, because creating scrub could damage it
\nland used by breeding waders, because they need open grassland habitat
\n| Eligible land type | \nEligible land cover | \nCompatible land use code | \n\n |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arable land used to grow crops | \nArable land | \nLand use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops\n | \n\n |
| Temporary grassland | \nArable land | \nTG01 | \n\n |
| Arable land lying fallow | \nArable land | \nFA01 | \n\n |
| Permanent crops – horticultural | \nPermanent crops | \nTC01 | \n\n |
| Improved permanent grassland | \nPermanent grassland | \nPG01 | \n\n |
| Scrub | \nScrub – ungrazeable | \nWO25 | \n\n |
| Scrub | \nNotional – scrub | \nNF03 | \n\n |
Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Ineligible – you must not enter any area that’s designated as an SSSI into this action.
\n\nHistoric and archaeological features: Ineligible – you must not enter any area that contains an historic or archaeological feature into this action. This only affects the area where the feature is located in a land parcel. You can apply for this action on the remaining area in the land parcel if it’s eligible.
\n\nTotal or part of the available area in a land parcel. It’s your responsibility to check that the area you enter is eligible for this action.
\n\nYou must do this action on the area entered into your SFI26 agreement. If something happens which means you cannot complete this action on some or all of the area, you must tell the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) in writing as soon as possible. Read section 12.2 ‘What to do if you cannot comply with your agreement’ in the SFI26 scheme information to find out how to do this.
\n\nThis action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.
\n\nYou must manage the area entered into this action in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim, including:
\n\nallowing scrub to regenerate naturally or by planting a variety of native scrub species, or a combination of both, so scrub cover develops on between 10% and 60% of the area
\ncontrolling wild herbivores to allow scrub to develop and establish
\nleaving any standing and fallen deadwood in place, if it’s safe to do so
\nleaving any mature and veteran trees in place, if it’s safe to do so
\nmaking sure tree guards do not damage growing trees, and removing them once trees are established
\nYou must not:
\n\ncut vegetation, unless it’s to control injurious weeds and invasive non-native species including non-native trees, soft and hard rush, nettles or bracken
\ngraze with livestock
\napply fertilisers, manures or lime
\napply pesticides, except for herbicides, to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken
\nplough, cultivate, re-seed, harrow or roll
\nrelease gamebirds
\nuse supplementary feed for game birds
\ncarry out drainage works or change existing drainage, without written permission before work starts
\nYou must do this action each year of its 3-year duration.
\n\nIt’s up to you how you do this action, as long as you:
\n\nfollow this action’s requirements – these are identified by a ‘must’
\ndo the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim
\nYou may find it helpful to read the ‘advice to help you do this action’, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
\n\nYou must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
\n\nfield operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
\nphotographs or other documentation
\nIf 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.
\n\nYou can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.
\n\n| Scheme | \nAction or option codes | \n\n |
|---|---|---|
| \nSFI 2026 actions | \nNo SFI 2026 revenue actions | \n\n |
| \nSFI 2024 actions | \nCIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1 | \n\n |
| \nSFI 2023 actions | \nIPM1, NUM1, SAM1 | \n\n |
| \nCSHT actions from 2025 | \nCPAC1, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CSP20, CSP21, CSP9, CWS1, CWS3 | \n\n |
| \nCS options | \nNo CS revenue options | \n\n |
| \nES options | \nNo ES revenue options | \n\n |
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 5.6 ‘Land that’s already in other funding schemes or grants’ in the SFI26 scheme information for more details.
\n\nYou can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
\n\nThe following advice may help you to do this action, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
\n\nYou can create scrub on a range of soil types. It will grow in unmanaged areas close to areas of trees and shrubs, where there is an existing seed source.
\n\nYou can create scrub at most locations, but it can work well:
\n\nThe simplest way to create scrub and open habitat mosaics is to allow them to regenerate naturally (natural colonisation).
\n\nAllowing scrub to regenerate naturally works best where existing areas of scrub (like hedgerows and woodland scrub) can spread.
\n\nNatural colonisation may not work if, for example, there’s:
\n\nYou can allow native scrub species to develop that will be less than around 5 metres tall, such as:
\n\nIf you have calcareous soils, species could include:
\n\nAcid soils often have gorse or broom.
\n\nYou can plant a variety of native scrub species:
\n\nto increase the diversity of shrub species – so you do a combination of natural colonisation and planting
\nif natural colonisation is unlikely to mean that scrub cover develops on at least 10% of the area entered into this action by the end of this action’s duration
\nYou can plant the native scrub species between November and March. Try to:
\n\nIf you’re intending to create scrub by planting or allowing natural colonisation of tree species, check if it falls under the Forestry Commission’s definition of ‘woodland’. If it does, you may need to apply for a forestry environmental impact assessment.
\n\nPlanting nursery-grown stock is the easiest method, but it can be expensive. Alternatively, you can spread seed. This is cheaper than planting, but it will take longer to establish.
\n\nFind out where you can get plants and seeds from.
\n\nYou may find it helpful to read Natural England’s guidance on the management of scrub.
\n\n","change_history":[{"note":"Added 'Advice to help you do this action' section.","public_timestamp":"2026-06-17T11:29:49Z"},{"note":"The following changes have been made to this action for SFI26 (compared with the SFI24 version):\r\n\r\n•\tthis action now has a 3-year duration – this only applies to SFI26 agreements, not existing SFI24 agreements\r\n•\tupdated wording to explain land which is not suitable for this action (see ‘Where you can do this action’ – this only applies to SFI26 agreements, not existing SFI24 agreements\r\n•\tminor updates to standard wording which appears in all area-based SFI actions – see ‘Eligibility of protected land’ and ‘Available area you can enter into this action’ \r\n","public_timestamp":"2026-06-02T13:07:41Z"},{"note":"Where you can do this action - an eligible land type is defined in section 5.1 ‘Eligible land types for SFI’ in the SFI scheme information. \r\nEligibility of protected land - you can apply for this action on the area in a land parcel that does not contain an historic or archaeological feature. \r\nPublished voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action’s requirements. 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