BN7: Hedgerow gapping-up

How much you’llwill be paid paid

£17.22 per metre (m). The payment rate is for the total length of boundary hedgerowunder beingthe gapped-up,option not(not for each side of the boundary.boundary).

HowWhere thisto itemuse benefitsthis the environmentitem

LengthsIt ofis hedgerowavailable that are gapped-up will rejuvenate with new growth to form a continuous hedgerow boundary.

This will:

• provide new habitat and food sources for bees,Countryside pollinatorsStewardship andMid birds
• helpTier, captureHigher carbon

ThisTier item can help you protect, recover and improveCapital biodiversityGrants on your land.

Where you can use this item 

You can use this item where you have management control of both sides of the boundary with planted boundary lines of shrubs that are:

• atover least 20m long
• less than 5m wide between major woody stems at the base
• made up of at least 80% native shrubs
• can only be used when the applicant has “management control” of both sides of the boundary.

You

Where cannot use this item oncannot be used

On lengths of hedge managed under Countrysidethe Stewardship (CS) option BE3:BE3 - Management of hedgerows oroption.

How CSthis Higheritem Tierwill actionbenefit CHRW4:the Manageenvironment

Lengths hedgerowsof  

Whathedgerow youwith mustgaps doplanted toup usewill thiscreate itema continuous length of hedge.

Requirements

You must:

• carry out work whenbetween the1 hedgeNovember isand dormant31 (usuallyMarch betweenwhen 1the Novemberhedge andis 31still March)dormant
• prepare athe plantingground stripalong ata least 1.5m wide withstrip to provide good soil conditions
• clear existingand vegetationas tolittle remove competition forfrom newother plantingvegetation as possible
• only apply any herbicide to the 1.5m strip in the August or September beforeprior to planting
• prevent

  make livestocksure andplants grazingare:

  • 2-year-old animalstransplants
  • at fromleast damaging450 themillimetres hedge(mm) byto setting600mm fencinghigh
  • native atspecies, leastwith 1.2mno fromone thespecies centremaking ofup themore hedgethan or70% asof closethe tototal
  • planted thein basea ofstaggered thedouble bankrow as40 possiblecentimetres (if(cm) there’sapart with a bank)
  • removeminimum individualof guards6 andplants treeper sheltersmetre
  • kept onceclear theof plantsweeds until they are established
• replaceprevent alllivestock failedand plantsgrazing inanimals from damaging the followinghedge plantingby season

Plantsetting requirements

Makefencing sureat plantsleast are:

• 2-year-old1.2m transplants
• betweenfrom 450the millimetrescentre (mm)of andthe 600mmhedge, high
• nativeor, species,if withthere nois singlea speciesbank, makingas upclose moreto thanthe 70%base of the totalbank as possible
• plantedremove inindividual 2guards rowsand 40tree centimetresshelters (cm)once apartthe thatplants are staggered with at least 6 plants per metreestablished
• keptreplace clearall offailures weedsin untilthe theyfollowing ‘replanting establishedseason

YouDo must not not:

• obstruct or block entryaccess points to open access land.

EvidenceKeeping you must keep records

You must keep photographs of the completedfollowing workrecords and providesupply them with your claim. payment claim:

• photographs of the completed work.

You must also keep the following records and providesupply them on request:

• any consents or permissions connected with the work
• receipted invoicesinvoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
• the date, location and method of any weed control carried outundertaken
• the dates of planting
• details of age, height and species planted
• a photograph of the each length of hedge entered into the item before work starts

ReadPlease see the record keeping and siteinspection visit requirements inas theset Agreementout holder’sin guide:the Capitalrelevant Grants,Mid Tier, Higher Tier capitalor grantsCapital andGrants Protectionguidance andfor Infrastructuremore grantsdetail. forYou morecan information.

Otherfind itemsthe andlatest actionsguidance youat canCountryside useStewardship: withget thisfunding item

Youto canprotect useand thisimprove itemthe with:

BN4:Earthland bankyou restorationmanage.

BN9:

Related HedgerowMid supplementTier -and substantialCapital pre-work

FG15:WaterGrants gates

items

Sustainable Farming Incentive actions

You can use this item withon thesethe actions:

CHRW1:same Assesslength andas recordthe hedgerowfollowing conditionsupplement:

CHRW2:

• BN9 Manage- hedgerows

  CHRW3:Hedgerow Maintainsupplement or- establishsubstantial hedgerow treespre-work

Advice toand helpsuggestions youfor usehow to carry out this item

The following advice mayis helphelpful, you to use this item, but youthey doare not haverequirements tofor follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.   item.

When to plant

YouNovember shouldis plantgenerally inthe Novemberbest unless:

• thetime groundto isplant; frozenhowever, orif waterloggedplanting –into thenclay plantsoils whenwait conditionsuntil areMarch. favourable
• you’reDo plantingnot plant in clayfreezing –weather thenor planton inwaterlogged March
• you’reground. If planting into a newly-restorednewly restored earth bankbank, – then plant the following autumn

autumn.

Successful gapping-upPlanting

To gap-upundertake ahedge hedgerowgapping-up successfully:

• prepare the ground so the soil becomes friable (has a crumbly texture) and is clearfree of other growth
• plant native species that already grow in the local area
• take care of roots before planting by keeping them covered at all timestimes, especially when it is sunny or windy
• avoid opening more than one bag of plants at a time

Consider planting new hedgerow trees if they’rethey are characteristic of the local landscape character.landscape.

ControllingControl weeds

YouControl should control competitive weeds (including brambles, nettles and grasses) during the first growing season. ThisThese willweeds reduce the weedsgrowth competingrate with:

coppicedof stem-establishmentthe andnew regrowth

plants by competing for soil moisture, nutrients and lightlight. Avoid using a strimmer as these can damage the plants.

ProtectingProtect newthe plants

Fence off the plants if sheep, cattle or horses graze the land. Keep fences far enough away so the hedgerow can grow at least 1.5m in width.

If there’sthere is a known problem with rabbits or hares,hares you may need rabbit nettingnetting, (eithereither on its own or with stock fencing).fencing.

Avoid using spiral guards as they:

• they limit the amount of dense growth at the base of each plant
• plant, are unsightly
• are and difficult to remove
remove.  

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 holding’s 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.