Natural England
How much will be paid
5.33 per metre (m). The payment rate is for the total length of boundary under the option (not for each side of the boundary).
Where to use this item
Available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier, Higher Tier and Capital Grants
Only on planted boundary lines of shrubs that are:
- over 20m long
- less than 5m wide between major woody stems at the base
- composed of at least 80% native shrubs
- can only be used when the applicant has management control of both sides of the boundary.
How this item will benefit the environment
If successful there will be lengths of hedgerow rejuvenated with new growth to form a continuous hedge.
Requirements
- carry out work between 30 September and 31 March when the hedge is still dormant
- remove old fencing and wire
- cut and pull out bramble, clematis or other scrambling plants
- cut out elder plants and prevent re-growth of stumps
- encourage vigorous re-growth from the base of the plant by cutting the stems down to ground level (less than 10cm)
- angle cuts so that water can easily run off
- keep all existing hedgerow trees
- cuttings can be placed over newly coppiced stools to prevent browsing by livestock or wild animals, or to leave dead wood for wildlife; however, they must not prevent new growth
- remove all unused cut branches from the immediate site after completion of the work
- control weeds during the first growing season after laying
- prevent livestock and grazing animals from damaging the hedge by setting fencing at least 1.2m from the centre of the hedge, or, if there is a bank, as close to the base of the bank as possible
- trim the hedge for 3 years after coppicing, allowing the hedge to become taller and wider at each cut
Do not:
- obstruct or block access to open access land
- disturb breeding birds
Keeping records
Agreement holders will need to keep the following records and supply them on request:
- any consents or permissions connected with the work
- receipted invoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
- the date, location and method of any weed control undertaken
- the dates of preparation works and coppicing
- the dates of post-coppicing trimming
- a photograph of the each length of hedge entered into the item
Please see the record keeping and inspection requirements as set out in the relevant Mid Tier, Higher Tier or Capital Grants guidance for more detail. You can find the latest guidance at Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage.
Agreement holders will need to keep the following records and supply them with the claim:
- photographs of the completed work
Applicants will have to send the following with their application:
- a map showing the location of existing hedgerow trees in each length of hedge (this can be the FER)
Related Mid Tier and Capital Grants options
This item can be used on the same length as the following supplement:
Advice and suggestions for how to carry out this item
The following section gives advice on carrying out the item successfully but does not form part of the requirements for this item.
Pick the right hedge
Use the hedgerow management cycle to help decide what management is needed.
Choose a hedge which:
- is gappy and has too few stems to lay
- has stems too large to lay (more than 15cm diameter)
- is too short to lay (less than 2.5m tall)
Most woody species coppice well, stimulating dense growth from the cut stems, apart from:
- holly
- mature beech
- mature hawthorn which is showing signs of rot
Hedge coppicing
To undertake hedge coppicing successfully:
- keep any existing trees and leave the occasional standard hawthorn or other species when this fits in with the local landscape
- keep deadwood where possible
- plant up gaps at the same time as coppicing to improve the continuity of the hedge - plant native species that already occur in hedgerows in the local area
- protect the newly coppiced hedge from damage by grazing animals - rabbit fencing may be needed if local populations are high
Fencing may only need to be temporary and in place for as long as it takes the hedge to grow sufficiently.
Hedge management
Control competitive weeds (including brambles, nettles and grasses) during the first growing season. These weeds reduce the re-growth rate of the coppiced stems by competing for soil moisture, nutrients and light.
Encourage dense bushy growth of the newly coppiced hedge by:
- trimming lightly for 3 years
- never cutting back to the same point, instead allowing the hedge to gradually increase in height and width by several centimetres at each cut.
In following years the hedge can either be left to grow unchecked until it requires coppicing or laying, or be managed by trimming.
Biodiversity
This item has been identified as being beneficial for biodiversity. All Countryside Stewardship habitat creation, restoration and management options are of great significance for biodiversity recovery, as are the wide range of arable options in the scheme. Capital items and supplements can support this habitat work depending on the holdings situation and potential.
The connectivity of habitats is also very important and habitat options should be linked wherever possible. Better connectivity will allow wildlife to move/colonise freely to access water, food, shelter and breeding habitat, and will allow natural communities of both animals and plants to adapt in response to environmental and climate change.
Further information
Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier, Higher Tier and Capital Grants including how to apply.