BFS6: 6m to 12m habitat strip next to watercourses (updated for SFI26)
Defra — Sustainable Farming Incentive
Award
£742 per hectare (ha) per year
Deadline
Rolling — apply any time
Where
England
Summary
What you must do to get paid for this SFI26 action and advice on how to do it.
Full details
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. Select ‘See all updates’ at the start of this page to find out how this action has changed for SFI26 compared with SFI24. For SFI24 actions, read the SFI24 agreement holder’s information. Duration 3 years How much you’ll be paid £742 per hectare (ha) per year – calculate the hectarage by: • measuring the length of the strip in metres (m) • multiplying that length by the relevant width (6m to 12m) to give the area in m2 • dividing that area by 10,000 to convert it into ha Action’s aim This action’s aim is that, throughout the year, there’s a habitat strip next to a watercourse: • with a mosaic of grassland vegetation and naturally colonised or planted native tree and scrub species, which are near the watercourse (riparian) and have an open canopy • with tussocky grasses allowed to develop • without livestock, tracks or compacted areas The purpose of this is to: • reduce soil erosion and nutrient loss • increase water filtration • slow down water runoff • provide shade to the watercourse • provide habitats and food for wildlife • form links between other habitats Where you can do this action You can do this action on agricultural land next to a watercourse (ditch, river, stream or canal) located below the moorland line that’s: • an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1.1 ‘Eligible land types’ in the SFI26 scheme information) • registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps • declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover Eligible land Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code Arable land used to grow crops Arable land Land use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops Temporary grassland Arable land TG01 Arable land lying fallow Arable land FA01 Improved permanent grassland Permanent grassland PG01 Scrub Scrub – ungrazeable WO25 Scrub Notional – scrub NF03 Eligibility of protected land Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Eligible – you must: • give notice to Natural England to get SSSI consent before the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) offer you an SFI26 agreement • have received SSSI consent from Natural England before you do this action (read section 10.1 ‘SSSI consent’ in the SFI26 scheme information for more details) Historic and archaeological features: Ineligible – you must not enter any area with 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. Available area you can enter into this action Total 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. You 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 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. 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 establish and maintain a habitat strip that: • is at least 6m wide and up to 12m wide (on average in each land parcel) – it can be more than 12m wide, but you’ll only be paid for the 12m width • buffers a ditch, river, stream or canal To establish the habitat strip, you must do one or a combination of both of the following: • allow trees and scrub to regenerate naturally • plant a variety of native riparian tree and shrub species You can remove soil compaction to prepare land for this action (if needed). Once the habitat strip is established, you must manage it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim. This includes: • cutting woody growth to create and maintain an open canopy along the bank so there’s dappled shade for the watercourse • controlling the spread of injurious weeds, nettles or invasive non-native species • removing cut material (when you’re cutting) to control woody growth or the spread of injurious weeds, nettles or invasive non-native species • leaving any standing and fallen deadwood in place, if it’s safe to do so • leaving any mature and veteran trees in place, if it’s safe to do so You must not do the following on the habitat strip: • allow livestock to access it • use it for regular vehicular access, turning or storage (for example, storing bales or machinery) • apply fertilisers or manures • apply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken • create or maintain hard standing, boardwalks or closely mown access routes running parallel to the ditch, river, stream or canal In addition, you must not cut or remove vegetation unless you’re doing it to: • control woody growth or the spread of injurious weeds, nettles or invasive non-native species • maintain existing access routes that are at an angle of 90 degrees to the watercourse • help establish the habitat strip on previously arable land You can maintain an existing habitat strip to get paid for this action if it: • meets this action’s requirements • is not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as CS option SW11 (riparian management strip) When to do it You must: • establish the habitat strip within the first 12 months of this action’s duration • maintain the habitat strip throughout each subsequent 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 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. 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 and other documentation 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. Scheme Action or option codes SFI 2026 actions OFC1, OFC3, OFM1, OFM4, PRF2 SFI 2024 actions CIPM1, CNUM1, CSAM1, OFC1, OFC3, OFM1, OFM4, PRF2 SFI 2023 actions IPM1, NUM1, SAM1 CSHT actions from 2025 CPAC1, CSP9 CS options OR1, OT1, SW15, SW16 ES options No ES revenue options 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. You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action: • SFI 2026 actions: CHRW2, BND1, BND2 and WBD2 • SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2 and WBD2 • SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3 • CSHT actions: CHRW4 • CS options: BE3 (management of hedgerows) Advice to help you do this action The following advice may help you to do this action, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements. Establishing the habitat strip To establish the habitat strip, you can: • sow a grass and herb seed mix where there’s no ground cover – this can help to establish it more quickly and reduce the risk of soil erosion • plant native tree and shrub species along the bank and bank top to provide dappled shade to the watercourse – this could include species such as alder, willow, sallow or guelder rose To help initial establishment, you may need to control injurious weeds, nettles or invasive non-native species more often over the first few years. Check: • if you need permission from the Environment Agency before you apply herbicides near to a watercourse • the rules which apply to invasive non-native plant species Managing the habitat strip Once the habitat strip is established, this action requires you to manage it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim. You can manage the habitat strip in stages to minimise disturbance and create varied habitat. Where existing trees form a continuous line along the bank or bank top causing dark shade to the watercourse, you can: • manage woody growth cover to create a more open canopy – doing this on around one third of the area will usually allow sufficient light to reach the water • leave occasional overhanging tree roots and branches to provide some cover and a future supply of woody material to the watercourse To prevent livestock access to the habitat strip during the grazing season, you can use temporary high tensile wire or electric fencing (without the need for a permit). This type of fencing can help to reduce the risk of debris snagging and the fence being damaged if the watercourse floods. You can maintain existing fishing access to the watercourse (usually 2m x 2m swims on the bank top). Try to avoid creating areas of bare soil on the bank top by maintaining a grass sward.