Environmental Stewardship: options for hedgerow management (January 2011)
The options which extend beyond cross-compliance requirements are given below. See Handbooks for further details
Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) and Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS)
EB1/OB1 – hedgerow management. This applies to both sides of a hedge and the main provisions are that the hedge should be at least 1.5m high, maintained in the style customary to the area, not cut between 1 March and 31 August, and, importantly, not cut more often that once every two calendar years. Agreement holders must not cut all their hedges under this option in the same year.
EB2/OB2 – this is the same, but applies to just one side of a hedge.
EB3/OB3 – Enhanced hedgerow management. This is applicable only where the applicant has control of both sides of the hedge, and, in addition to the requirements of EB1/2, requires that the hedge must be at least 2 m high, no more than one third of the hedges on the holding are cut each year, and that any individual hedge is cut no more than once every three years. Again, they must not be cut between 1 March and 31 August.
EB4/EB5/OB4/OB5 – Stone-faced hedge bank management (both sides/one side). Stone-faced banks must be protected from deterioration and gaps repaired using traditional materials following the local style. Likewise, damage to gateways and banks by machinery or stock must be prevented, if necessary by making them stock-proof. Options EB1, 2 & 3 may be applied for on the same hedges.
EB8/EB9/EB10/OB8/OB9/OB10 – Combined hedge and ditch management. These build on EB1/2/3 respectively and are available where ditches with standing or flowing water run along side the hedges. On the non-hedge side of the ditch, land within 2m of the centre of the ditch should not be cultivated nor have fertilisers or pesticides applied to it. The agreement holder must minimise the amount of hedge cuttings falling into the ditch.
New options in 2010:
EB12/EB13/OB12/OB13 - Earth bank management (both sides/one side). Earth banks, including turf-faced hedgebanks, entered under this option must be at least 1m high, and must be protected from deterioration, with gaps being repaired. Likewise, damage to gateways and banks by machinery or stock must be prevented, if necessary by making them stock-proof. All repair and maintenance work must be carried out in the traditional style characteristic of the local area and used in the original earth bank construction. Options EB1, 2 & 3 may be applied for on the same hedges.
EC23/OC23 - Establishment of hedgerow trees by tagging. For hedges managed underEB1, EB2, EB3, EB8, EB9 or EB10, this option allows for up to 2 trees to be established per 100m. Saplings must be selected, or planted in gaps, are tagged. Each year they must be inspected and the tags replaced if necessary.
EC24/OC24 - Hedgerow tree buffer strips on cultivated land. For hedges on cultivated land managed underEB1, EB2, EB3, EB8, EB9 or EB10, where there is at least 1 hedgerow tree with a minimum diameter of 30cm at breast height per 100m, to enter in to the option the agreement holder must establish a 6m wide grassy margin. The 3m next to the crop must be cut annually, the 3m next to the hedge no more often than once every 2 years. An herb-rich mixture may be sown.
EC25/OC25 - Hedgerow tree buffer strips on grassland
For hedges on permanent grassland managed underEB1, EB2, EB3, EB8, EB9 or EB10 , where there is at least 1 hedgerow tree with a minimum diameter of 30cm at breast height per 100m, the agreement holder must establish 6m wide duffer strips. On mown fields, this should be left uncut and then grazed along with the aftermath.
For both EC24 and EC25, a buffer strip must be established on both sides of the hedge if possible. No fertilisers or manures may be applied to buffer strips and herbicides may only be used to control injurious or non-native weed species. Buffer strips may not be cut more often than once every 2 years, and tree limbs may not be removed except for health and safety purposes alongside public rights of way. Fallen timber must be left beneath the canopy, stacked if necessary, and stock must not be allowed to damage the trunks of the hedgerow trees.
Upland Entry Level Stewardship (UELS) (introduced in 2010)
In addition to appropriate ELS and OELS options, applicants with land that is Severely Disadvantaged (SDA) may choose the following options:
UB4/UB5 Stone-faced hedge bank management on or above the Moorland Line (both sides/one side). The requirements here are the same as for EB4/EB5 (but the points scored are less)
UB12/UB13 Earth bank management on both sides on or above the Moorland Line. The requirements here are the same as for EB12/EB13 (but the points scored are less)
UB14 Hedgerow restoration. Under this option up to 40m of hedge on the holding may be restored by laying or gapping up each year (giving a maximum total of 200m over the 5 year life of the agreement). Laying must usually take place between 1 November and 1 March, in the style customary to the local landscape. Gapping up must be with species matching those already found in the existing hedge, 2-year-old bare rooted stock between 1 November and 1 March, at a minimum of six plants per metre in a double staggered row with at least 30 cm between rows.
UB15 Stone-faced hedgebank restoration. Under this option up to 40m of stone-facing on the holding may be restored each year (giving a maximum total of 200m over the 5 year life of the agreement). All restoration work must be carried out with traditional materials used in the original bank construction, and follow the style characteristic of the local landscape and using appropriately shaped and sized local natural stone.
UB16 Earth bank restoration. Under this option up to 40m of earth bank on the holding may be restored each year (giving a maximum total of 200m over the 5 year life of the agreement). All repair and maintenance work must be carried out in the traditional materials used in the original earth bank construction, following the style characteristic to the local landscape. The shape and height of the bank must be consistent with other banks that are in good condition in the immediate vicinity.
Higher Level Stewardship (HLS)
HB11/HB12 Management of hedgerows of very high environmental value (both sides/one side). These options are used to manage hedgerows that support target species of farmland birds, insects or mammals, such as the tree sparrow, brown hairstreak and dormouse. They are also used to maintain hedgerows that make a significant contribution to the local landscape character and/or are historically important boundaries. The exact management prescriptions will be agreed between the applicant and Natural England.
In addition to these management options, payments for capital works are also available:
HR – Hedgerow restoration including laying, coppicing and gapping up
PH – Hedgerow planting (new hedges)
HF - hedgerow supplement (removal of old fence lines)
HSC - hedgerow supplement (substantial pre-work)
HSL – - hedgerow supplement (top binding and staking)
BR – stone-faced hedge bank repair
BS – Stone-faced hedge bank restoration
ER – Earth bank restoration (new in 2010)
STT – Standard parkland tree/hedgerow tree planting