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BC3

BC3: Crop protection fencing mesh and wire for permanent crops

Countryside Stewardship open_in_new View on RPA Website

£6.34

per metre · one-off

info Summary

This Countryside Stewardship capital item provides funding for installing wire mesh fencing to protect permanent crops, such as cricket bat willow, from beaver foraging activity within river catchment areas. The fencing helps mitigate beaver impact, ensuring their presence on river catchments while safeguarding agricultural production.

format_list_bulleted What to do

  • Remove old fencing before erecting new.
  • Install wire mesh fencing between 0.9m and 1.5m high.
  • Use galvanised 18 gauge, 31mm hexagonal wire mesh.
  • Attach netting to 2.65mm high tensile spring steel straining wires (one at bottom, one at top) using galvanised netting rings.
  • Bury the bottom edge of the netting to 150mm depth or lap it on the ground towards the water body/course, anchoring at 1m intervals if lapping.
  • Do not attach fences to trees/hedgerows, use electric fencing, block open access, or install on historic/archaeological features.
  • Obtain necessary consents if installing near or across a watercourse.

checklist How to do

  • Remove existing fencing before installing new.
  • Construct the fence using galvanised 18 gauge, 31mm hexagonal wire mesh, ensuring it is between 0.9m and 1.5m high.
  • Secure the netting to a pair of 2.65mm high tensile spring steel straining wires (one at the bottom, one at the top) using galvanised netting rings.
  • Bury the bottom edge of the netting to a depth of 150mm, or alternatively, lap it on the ground towards the water body/course and anchor it at 1m intervals.
  • If using existing Countryside Stewardship funded posts (5+ years old), you may strengthen or improve them.
  • Ensure you do not attach the fence to trees or hedgerows, use electric fencing, block open access, or install on historic/archaeological features.
  • Obtain consent from relevant authorities (Environment Agency, local flood authority, internal drainage board) if working near or across a watercourse.

description Evidence Required

  • You must keep and provide with your application:

  • * a map to confirm location of works
  • * any advice or consents from the relevant body if needed
  • * a photograph of the site before the work starts

  • You must also keep and provide with your claim:

  • * a photograph of completed works
  • * receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is not available
  • * consents or permissions connected with the work

  • Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

tips_and_updates Additional Advice

View Official Guidelines

Access detailed information about this action on the RPA website

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info Additional Information

BC3: Crop protection fencing mesh and wire for permanent crops

This item is part of Protection and Infrastructure grants 2025. You must read the Protection and Infrastructure grants 2025 guidance to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£6.34 per metre (m).

How this item benefits the environment

This item helps:

  • beavers remain on river catchments

  • mitigate against the foraging activity of beavers

Where you can use this item

You can use this item:

  • where there’s evidence of beaver activity within the river catchment area you’re protecting – see section 2.1.2 of the Protection and Infrastructure guidance for a list of catchment areas

  • to protect permanent crops within 100m of a waterbody or watercourse where beavers are foraging or there is strong likelihood of foraging – see the 2024 land use codes for more information

Cricket bat willow is an eligible permanent crop for this item.

You cannot use this item on historic or archaeological features as identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).

What you must do to use this item

You must:

  • remove old fencing before erecting new fencing

  • use wire mesh fencing between 0.9m and 1.5m high so beavers cannot get above it

  • use galvanised that’s at least 18 gauge and 31 millimetres (mm) hexagonal wire mesh to construct the fence

  • attach netting to a pair of 2.65mm, high tensile, spring steel straining wires using galvanised netting rings

  • make sure there’s one straining wire at the bottom of the fence and one at the top

  • bury the bottom edge of the netting to a depth of 150mm or lap the netting on the surface of the ground towards the water body or water course

  • anchor netting at 1m intervals if lapping (folding over)

Attach new fencing to existing fencing posts if both of the following apply:

  • you have fencing that was previously funded through Countryside Stewardship

  • it’s 5 years from the start date of your agreement. You must maintain the item being funded to the agreed standard during this period

You can use the existing posts and strengthen or improve with new posts where required.

You may need consent from the Environment Agency, lead local flood authority or internal drainage board before starting any work. Read guidance on owning a watercourse for more information.

You must not:

  • attach the fence to trees or hedgerows

  • use electric fencing

  • block or restrict access to open access land

  • install fencing on historic or archaeological features

  • install fencing that’s located close to a watercourse or across a watercourse without a relevant permit

Evidence you must keep

You must keep and provide with your application:

  • a map to confirm location of works

  • any advice or consents from the relevant body if needed

  • a photograph of the site before the work starts

You must also keep and provide with your claim:

  • a photograph of completed works

  • receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is not available

  • consents or permissions connected with the work

Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

Other items you can use with this item

You can use this item with these items:

BC4 Tree Guard Post and wire

BC5: Expert dam management

Advice to help you use this item

The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements

Check to make sure the work meets relevant British Standards.

Call Natural England’s enquiry line if you have questions about beaver activity on your land. They’ll direct you to the most appropriate advice.

Phone: 0300 060 3900

Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk [m]: metres [HEFER]: Historic Environment Farm Environment Record *[mm]: millimetres

Questions about BC3?

Ask Tom anything about this subsidy, eligibility, evidence requirements, or compatibility with other actions.