BFS6: 6m to 12m habitat strip next to watercourses (updated for SFI26)

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 m 2

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.

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