Rural Payments and Services

The aim of this option is to create hedges as a habitat for wildlife and / or a landscape feature.

Hedges provide valuable food and cover for a variety of birds, insects and small mammals, and can act as an important link between habitats. They can also help prevent soil erosion and store carbon.

Trimming hedges every two or three years, and in rotation across the farm, will help create a good hedge structure and leave an abundance of flowers and berries for wildlife.

Land where there is access for both sides of the new hedge to be cut is eligible.

You should not include areas of land covering rocks, scree, water, dense bracken etc. We will check this using the same approach we use to check land for the Basic Payment Scheme.

Assessing your land eligibility

You must plant your new hedge within the first year of your contract. The Planting or Replanting of Hedges capital item can support this.

A march hedge between two neighbouring holdings is only eligible where it is managed under the scheme by both parties.

You can check if this option is available on your holding here.

You must prepare and submit for approval a hedgerow management plan. The plan must include a map showing the location(s) of the hedges to be managed. It must also show gaps greater than five metres wide. The plan must also detail the management you propose over the course of your contract and the timing of associated capital item works.

You must manage the same location and extent each year for the duration of your contract.

For hedgerow creation

• you must establish plants in a double row with a minimum of six plants per metre
• you must control weeds to aid establishment

For both hedgerow management or restoration and hedgerow creation

• you must not trim the same length of hedge annually
• hedge trimming must only be undertaken between 1 December and the last day in February
• you must exclude grazing
• if new fencing is required, you must site any new fences at least one metre from the centre line of the hedge
• with the exception of spraying to aid establishment, do not spray, except for the spot-treatment of injurious weeds (requires prior written notification) or treatment of invasive species (requires prior written approval)
• you must maintain a diary

You can claim £1.20 per linear metre per year for hedgerow creation

There are separate capital items to support this option:

• Planting or Replanting of Hedges
• Coppicing of Hedges
• Stock Fence
• Rabbit-proofing an Existing or New Stock or Deer Fence
• Vole, Rabbit or Hare Guards

The inspectors will check:

• you must manage the same location and extent each year for the duration of your contract
• you have established plants in a double row with a minimum of six plants per metre
• you have controlled weeds to aid establishment

For both hedgerow creation and hedgerow management or restoration

• you have not trimmed the same length of hedge annually
• hedge trimming was undertaken undertaken between 1 December and the last day in February
• you have excluded grazing
• if new fencing was required, you have erected any new fences at least one metre from the centre line of the hedge
• with the exception of spraying to aid establishment, you have not sprayed, unless with prior written notification or approval as appropriate
• you have maintained a diary

Supporting guidance is available for this option.

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