Subsidy Library

Find detailed information about subsidies

arrow_back Back to Subsidy Library

BE1

BE1: Protection of in-field trees on arable land

Countryside Stewardship open_in_new View on RPA Website

£553.00

per hectare · yearly

info Summary

This Countryside Stewardship option provides £553 per hectare per year for protecting in-field trees on arable land and temporary grassland, ensuring they are safeguarded from agricultural operations, maintaining them as landscape features, and providing habitat through undisturbed deadwood.

format_list_bulleted What to do

  • Maintain trees surrounded by a naturally regenerated grass buffer, protected from damage by livestock and wild animals.
  • Manage tree guards to prevent damage to growing trees.
  • Leave fallen branches and dead or fallen trees in their position within the option area.
  • Do not apply fertilisers, manures, or lime.
  • Do not plough, cultivate, re-seed, harrow, roll, or use supplementary feed.
  • Do not use pesticides, except for spot-treating or weed-wiping specific weeds.
  • Do not remove tree limbs or mature ivy growth.
  • Do not carry out drainage works without written permission.

schedule When to do

  • Maintain trees and grass buffer throughout the year.

checklist How to do

  • Protect trees from damage by livestock and wild animals.
  • Ensure tree guards do not damage growing trees.
  • Manage the sward buffer to have no more than 5% weeds or bare ground, and only cut to control woody growth.

description Evidence Required

Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.

  • Field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices
  • The diameter at breast height (DBH) for each tree
  • Photographs of trees entered into the option
  • Photographs of the sward buffer

tips_and_updates Additional Advice

  • Store fallen branches in piles, with some in sun and some in shade, not too high, and in contact with the ground.
  • Do not attach tree guards to trees to prevent damage.
  • When using pesticides, avoid damaging trees and use chemicals as a last resort.
  • Protect trees from livestock damage by providing alternative shelter/water or fencing them off at the option area edge.
  • Consider this option as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach.

View Official Guidelines

Access detailed information about this action on the RPA website

open_in_new Visit RPA Website

info Additional Information

BE1: Protection of in-field trees on arable land

How much will be paid

£553 per hectare (ha)

Where to use this option

It’s available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier on part parcels, only on:

  • arable land
  • temporary grassland
  • trees (dead or alive) at least 30 centimetres (cm) diameter at breast height (DBH)

Where this option cannot be used

On a group or line of 4 or more trees whose canopies overlap.

Related Mid Tier options

You can locate the following options and supplements on the same area as this option.

How this option will benefit the environment

If successful, trees will be protected from agricultural operations and kept as important features in the local landscape. Tree roots will be protected from damage by cultivations with a fertiliser-free grass buffer. Undisturbed standing and fallen deadwood will provide habitat for invertebrates.

Aims

If you’re selected for a site visit, we will check that delivery of the aims is being met and the prohibited activities have not been carried out. This will ensure the environmental benefits are being delivered.

Throughout the year there will be trees surrounded by a naturally regenerated grass buffer, protected from damage by livestock and wild animals. Tree guards will be managed to prevent any damage to growing trees. The grass buffer radius will be determined by the tree diameter at breast height.

Tree diameter at breast height (DBH) Sward radius Area per tree
30cm to 99cm 10m 0.03ha
100cm to 199cm 20m 0.12ha
200cm or more 30m 0.28ha

Fallen branches will remain in the option area. Trees that die or fall will remain in their position.

Prohibited activities

To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities.

  • Apply any fertilisers or manures
  • Apply any lime
  • Plough, cultivate or re-seed
  • Use supplementary feed
  • Harrow or roll
  • Use pesticides, except for herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe to control nettles, bracken, injurious weeds or invasive non-natives
  • Remove any tree limbs, including lower limbs, or mature ivy growth
  • Carry out any drainage works, including modifying existing drainage, without written permission before any work takes place

On your annual claim you will be asked to declare that you have not carried out any prohibited activities.

Recommended management

To assist you in achieving the aims and deliver the environmental benefits for this option, we recommend that you use best practice.

We recommend that you:

  • protect trees from damage by livestock and wild animals
  • make sure tree guards do not damage growing trees

Once established, manage the sward:

  • make sure that no more than 5% is covered in weeds or bare ground
  • only cut to control woody growth

Keeping records

Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.

  • Field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices
  • The diameter at breast height (DBH) for each tree
  • Photographs of trees entered into the option
  • Photographs of the sward buffer

Additional guidance and advice

The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.

Storing fallen branches

Do not cut fallen branches into pieces, stack in piles:

  • with one pile in a sunny spot and one in a shady spot
  • not too high, to stop the timber drying out
  • with as much timber as possible in contact with the ground

Setting tree guards

Do not attach tree guards to the trees as this can damage them.

Using pesticides

Avoid damaging the trees when spot-treating or weed-wiping. Use chemical as a last resort, as they can damage root fungi in the soil and trees depend on fungi for future good health.

Controlling livestock damage

To prevent livestock damage:

  • provide a different shelter with water to attract animals away from trees
  • fence off trees to stop animals rubbing and stripping bark or trampling the base

If you use fences, place them at the edge of the option area.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

This option can form part of an IPM approach to prevent the establishment of pests, weeds and diseases. If successful, appropriate and within proximity of cropped areas, these may limit the need for the use of Plant Protection Products and enhance wildlife and biodiversity on your holding. Read information on IPM at AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) Integrated Pest Management and LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming).

Further information

Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier and Higher Tier including how to apply. *[DBH]: diameter at breast height

Questions about BE1?

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