BND2: Maintain earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks

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

£11 per 100 metres (m) for one side

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is that there are earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks maintained in good condition.

The purpose of this is to:

help manage livestock

provide habitats for lichens, mosses and ferns, and wildlife

maintain landscape and historic features

Where you can do this action

To be eligible for this action, the bank must be:

either a raised earth or turf-faced bank (an earth bank), or a raised earth bank faced with natural stone (a stone-faced hedgebank) – there can be woody growth on top of the bank (for example, Cornish or Devon hedges)

distinct from the surrounding landform

a land parcel boundary

at least 20m long, measured between 2 end points – read the ‘advice to help you do this action’ to find out how to measure this

in good condition

To be in good condition, the earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank must be both:

continuous, with no gaps along its entire length

complete, so the bank is at a height in keeping with local style and a stone-faced hedgebank has facing stones in place

Check you have management control of your earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks

You must have management control of the eligible earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks you enter into this action for its 3-year duration.

If you have management control of:

only one side of an eligible earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank, you must only enter one side into this action

both sides, you can choose whether to enter one side or both sides

You will have management control of both sides of an earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank that’s next to a road, or borders a neighbour’s land, if you meet both of the following:

you have a legal right or obligation to maintain the bank

you can meet this action’s requirements

Check the length you enter into this action

It’s your responsibility to check that the length (in metres) you enter in your SFI application:

is eligible for this action

corresponds with what’s on the ground for the relevant land parcel – make sure you measure your hedgerows and enter an accurate length

We do not use the hedgerow lengths shown on your digital maps in your SFI application.

If you enter a length which is ineligible or exceeds what’s on the ground, the Rural Payments Agency ( RPA ) will have to remove it from your SFI26 agreement. You may also have to repay monies already received.

We’ll publish guidance explaining how to enter both sides of an earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank in your SFI application.

Eligibility of protected land

Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Eligible – you must:

give notice to Natural England to get SSSI consent before the RPA can 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: Eligible – you must get an SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.3 ’Land with historic or archaeological features’ 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 maintain earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks entered into this action in good condition. To do this, you must:

visually check their condition and identify any sections that need to be repaired

carry out any necessary repairs

keep a record (written or photographic) of any need for repairs you identify, and the repair work you do – including the date you identify the need and when the work was done

retain any existing features such as top stones, sheep creeps, stiles and stone gate posts

When you carry out any necessary repairs, you must retain any existing features such as top stones, sheep crops, stiles and stone gate posts.

When to do it

You must:

check the condition of the banks at least once during each year of this action’s 3-year duration

carry out any necessary repairs within 12 months of identifying the need, or by this action’s end date if you identify need for repairs during the final 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 the required written or photographic record and supply this evidence if we ask for it.

Other actions or options you can do with this action

You can do the following actions or options in land parcels with eligible boundaries entered into this action.

Scheme Action or option codes

SFI 2026 actions  All SFI 2026 actions except BND1

SFI 2024 actions All SFI 2024 actions except BND1

SFI 2023 actions All SFI 2023 actions

CSHT actions from 2025  All CSHT actions

CS options All CS management options

ES options All ES revenue options except boundary options

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.

How to measure your earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank

For the purposes of measuring the length of your earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank between 2 end points, an end point can include:

a point of connection with another bank, wall, hedgerow or other features (such as a fence, ditch, road or building)

where the feature changes management control or ownership

How to visually check the condition of your earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks

This action requires you to visually check the condition of your earth banks or stone-faced hedgebanks and identify any sections that need to be repaired.

When you visually check the condition of your banks , factors which could mean your walls need to be repaired include:

fallen stones

slumping

overgrown vegetation

damage by livestock

damage by machinery

How to carry out necessary repairs

Before you carry out any necessary repairs on your earth bank or stone-faced hedgebank, check for signs of nesting birds.  Birds, nests and eggs are protected by law , so if you see signs of nesting birds, delay work until the birds fledge.

When you carry out any necessary repairs on your bank, try to avoid carrying out work:

during periods of drought or extremely wet weather, as this may result in an unstable structure

in windy conditions in dry areas where soil is prone to wind blow

when there’s a risk of frost damage

You can also try to:

transport materials when conditions are dry – this will help to avoid damaging the ground

remove leftover materials from the site after you have carried out the work

restore the ground where you have carried out the work

If the bank has a live hedge on top, you can shovel up soil and turf which has slumped to the base of the bank and spread it among the hedge plants. This can help to keep the hedge plants healthy and strong.

To manage hedgerows on top of your bank, you may want to consider applying for SFI26 action CHRW2: Manage hedgerows.

Eligibility of protected land

Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Eligible – you must:

give notice to Natural England to get SSSI consent before the RPA can 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: Eligible – you must get an SFI HEFER before you do this action (read section 5.3 ’Land with historic or archaeological features’ in the SFI26 scheme information to find out how to do this).