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£4 per 100 metres (m) for both sides
\n\nThis action’s aim is that there are ditches with:
\n\nvaried bankside and aquatic vegetation
\nundisturbed wildlife habitat
\nThe purpose of this is to:
\n\nmaintain vegetation that’s typical of wet ditches
\nprovide habitats for wildlife
\nAn eligible ditch for this action must:
\n\nform part of the boundary of a land parcel that’s located below the moorland line
\nbe a man-made, long and narrow linear channel that’s cut into the ground for the purpose of draining the land or managing water levels
\nhave vegetated banks
\nregularly contain standing or flowing water
\nThe following features are not eligible for this action:
\n\nditches located in a severely disadvantaged area (SDA) below the moorland line
\nculverts or underground drains
\nnatural watercourses, such as streams
\nnon-linear water features, such as ponds, lakes or reservoirs
\ngrips, gutters and foot drains
\nYou must have management control of both sides of the entire length of the eligible ditch you enter into this action for its 3-year duration.
\n\nIf you only have management control of one side of the ditch, you must not enter it into this action.
\n\nYou will have management control of both sides of a ditch that borders a neighbour’s land if you meet both of the following conditions:
\n\nyou have a legal right or obligation to manage the ditch
\nyou can meet this action’s requirements
\nYou cannot do this action on ditches managed by third parties, such as Internal Drainage Boards.
\n\nIt’s your responsibility to check that the length (in metres) you enter in your SFI application:
\n\nis eligible for this action
\ncorresponds with what’s on the ground for the relevant land parcel
\nIf you enter a length which is ineligible or exceeds what’s on the ground, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will have to remove it from your SFI26 agreement. You may also have to repay monies already received.
\n\nSites 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: Eligible – you must get an SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.3 ‘Land with historic or archaeological features’ 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 ditch in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim, including:
\n\ncutting vegetation at the top of the ditch bank in rotation, so you only cut up to half the length of the ditch bank in any year of this action’s 3-year duration
\ncarrying out in-channel management on any section of the ditch no more than once during this action’s 3-year duration – this includes cleaning out silt or vegetation and cutting vegetation in the ditch channel
\nTo minimise disturbance to wildlife, you must only manage the ditch during the autumn, winter and early spring (usually September to late March).
\n\nYou must not re-profile or increase the width or depth of the ditch.
\n\nYou must do this action from its start date, throughout each year of its 3-year duration.
\n\nIf this action’s start date means it’s too late for you to do this action, you must start doing it within 12 months of the action’s start date.
\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\nKeep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
\n\nditch management operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
\nphotographs and 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 | \nAll SFI 2026 actions except BND1 | \n\n |
| \nSFI 2024 actions | \nAll SFI 2024 actions except BND1 and WBD2 | \n\n |
| \nSFI 2023 actions | \nAll SFI 2023 actions | \n\n |
| \nCSHT actions from 2025 | \nAll CSHT actions | \n\n |
| \nCS options | \nAll CS management options including BE3 (management of hedgerows) | \n\n |
| \nES options | \nAll ES revenue options except boundary 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\nThe following advice may help you to do this action, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.
\n\nTo help you achieve this action’s aim, you can:
\n\nMake sure you follow the farming rules for water. These require you to take steps to stop manure, fertiliser or soil getting into waterbodies and watercourses. Maintaining good water quality in your ditches will help to protect insects or plants that live in them.
\n\nBefore you carry out work on your ditches, check if you need to get consents or permissions. Read section 10 ‘Get any regulatory consents before you do your SFI actions’ in the SFI26 scheme rules and guidance.
\n\nYou may find it helpful to read Farm Wildlife’s guidance on managing ditches.
\n\nTo cut vegetation at the top of the ditch bank in rotation, you can either:
\n\nYou can control weeds on the ditch banks by cutting or hand pulling. If you need to use herbicides:
\n\nCarrying out in-channel management of your ditches on a rotation will help to provide a range of different conditions to benefit many species. For example:
\n\nIf you carry out in-channel management on the ditch, you can deposit the silt and vegetation (known as ‘spoil’) on the field adjacent to the ditch. However, under a D1 waste exemption, you can only deposit up to 50 cubic metres of dredging spoil on each metre length of land during any 12-month period. Read the guidance on D1 waste exemption: depositing waste from dredging inland waters for more information.
\n\nWhen you deposit the spoil, try to avoid:
\n\nInvasive, non-native species (such as Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed) can shade out or out-complete native plants in your ditch.
\n\nYou may need to:
\n\n